Cummins unveils hydrogen fuel cell truck as tech demonstrator

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Green Car Congress  /  October 30, 2019

Cummins Inc. unveiled a heavy-duty truck with fuel cell and battery electric power at the 2019 North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta. Cummins’ strategy is to provide its customers with a broad portfolio of power options, from diesel and natural gas, hybrids, to battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell solutions.

The zero-emissions class 8, 6x4 day cab tractor is a technology demonstrator suitable for vocational applications, including regional haul, urban delivery operations, port drayage and terminal container handling.

The truck was designed and integrated by Cummins in Columbus, Indiana and includes a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell from Hydrogenics, a recent addition to Cummins. The truck was designed for a 90 kW fuel cell and is scalable in 30 kW or 45 kW increments up to 180 kW and has a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery capacity.

The truck has a range of 150 to 250 miles between filling up; that range can be extended with additional hydrogen tanks, by increasing the tank storage pressure, or by installing additional fuel cells to optimize management of the vehicle load factor.

Many of the critical components of the powertrain including the PEM fuel cell, system controller, powertrain controls, wire harnesses and junction boxes, among others, were designed and developed by Cummins.

To help all original equipment manufacturing (OEM) customers and end user envision how Cummins’ fuel cell power can enable their success, the truck has been intentionally designed without collaboration from any of the company’s OEM partners.

Cummins has made several recent announcements around fuel cells like the acquisition of Hydrogenics, a memo of understanding with Hyundai Motor Company to collaborate on hydrogen fuel cell technology across commercial markets in North America and an investment in Loop Energy, a fuel cell electric range extender provider.

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