Sources: Cummins Inc., Columbus, Ind.; CP staff
Cummins will expand its powertrain platforms through development of the industry’s first fuel-agnostic engines, enabling on- and on/off-highway fleets to spec a range of low carbon fuel types. New platforms set for 2024 rollout will feature versions of the manufacturer’s B-, L- and X-Series models derived from a common base engine. Components above the head gasket will differ according to the choice of diesel, natural gas or hydrogen fuel. Component commonality or similarity will apply below the head gasket.
“Anything we can do to start reducing the carbon footprint is a win for the planet. Having a variety of lower carbon options is particularly important considering the variation in duty cycles and operating environments across the many markets we serve,” says Cummins Engine Business President Srikanth Padmanabhan. “There is no single solution or ‘magic bullet’ that will work for all application types or all end users.”
“This is a new way of designing and developing lower emission internal combustion powertrains that meet the unique needs of the transportation industry while leveraging the benefits of a common product architecture and footprint where possible,” adds Vice President of Engineering Jonathon White. “This unique technology approach will allow end users to more seamlessly pick the right powertrain for their application with the lowest carbon dioxide impact.”
Digital and connected technologies allow Cummins to extract insights specific to different engine duty cycles, and apply them to reliable fuel-agnostic platforms, he notes, adding: “Customers can be confident in Cummins’ unmatched testing and evaluation process ensuring high-performance products. No matter what type of work a fleet does, we’ll have an engine powered by lower carbon fuels with diesel-like performance to get the job done.”
The fuel-agnostic powertrain platform abides Destination Zero, a Cummins strategy to go further, faster to reduce equipment greenhouse gas impacts and reach net-zero emissions by 2050 in a sustainable manner serving all stakeholders.