A banner of J. Irwin Miller, former president and chairman of Cummins, is visible in a gathering space in the basement of the newly remodeled Cummins Corporate Office building in Columbus, Ind., pictured Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Cummins is currently in the midst of a two stage renovation of their corporate headquarters in Columbus. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Cummins Inc. has announced plans to partner with the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America to equip trucks with hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
The Columbus-based company said Wednesday it is collaborating with Daimler Trucks North America LLC to “upfit and validate” Freightliner Cascadia trucks with a Cummins hydrogen fuel cell powertrain for use in North America.
The joint effort will support both organizations’ goals to reduce emissions across product offerings and operations, the companies said. Upon successful validation, the companies intend to have initial units available in 2024 for selected customers.
“Cummins and Daimler Truck have a strong history of partnership, and this next step into fuel cell electric vehicles is an exciting development for zero-emissions transport,” said Amy Davis, Cummins vice president and president of new power. “Hydrogen fuel cells are a promising solution for the demanding requirements of heavy-duty trucking. Our collaboration in this market is an important milestone for both companies as we work to accelerate the shift to a carbon-free economy.”
Over the past couple years, Cummins has unveiled plans for how it intends to ramp up its fuel cell and hydrogen production business, which company officials have said in previous interviews they expect will play an important role in cutting emissions in some of the industries that are most dependent on fossil fuels and now face strict climate targets in many countries.
In July, Cummins announced that is was testing a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine in what was the company’s latest effort to “meet the energy and environmental needs of the future” in a world that experts say appears poised to shift away from fossil fuels.
Daimler Truck North America designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and associated technologies and components under several brands, including Freightliner, and Western Star.
“CO2-neutral commercial transportation must not only be technically feasible, but also economically viable for our valued customers,” said Rakesh Aneja, Daimler Truck North America vice president and chief of eMobility. “…We are pleased to expand our partnership with Cummins to include hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles in our future portfolio.”
