Cummins Inc., a multinational power solutions and hydrogen technology company, and Tata Motors, the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today for collaboration on designing and developing the low and zero-emission engine technology solutions for commercial vehicles in India. These solutions include hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines, battery electric vehicle systems and fuel cells. Tata Motors is the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on November 14, 2022, in the presence of N Chandrasekaran, Executive Chairman of Tata Sons, and Tom Linebarger, Executive Chairman of Cummins Inc., at the Bombay House headquarters of Tata Sons in Mumbai, India. During the signing ceremony, several dignitaries and senior executives from Cummins India and Tata Motors were in attendance.
N Chandrasekaran stated that TATA is excited to indigenise cutting-edge hydrogen technology to offer its customers an expanded portfolio of green and future-ready commercial vehicles, expedite the adoption of sustainable mobility in India, and contribute to the country’s “net zero” carbon emission goals.
Tata Motors and Cummins joined forces in 1993 to achieve their goal of introducing cleaner vehicle technology solutions to the Indian market. Tata Motors was tasked with delivering best-in-class mobility solutions in India, while Cummins provided the products and services necessary to make this vision a reality. This collaboration has grown steadily over the past three decades due to a shared ideology, a shared goal, and the shared principles of Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence. This MOU strengthens their relationship and is consistent with India’s aim. This MOU enhances their connection and aligns with India’s “Energy for Sustainable Growth” and “Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2070” objectives. India is likely to be one of the first countries in the world to get Cummins’ hydrogen engines. These engines are an important technology that will help the global economy become less dependent on fossil fuels.
Cummings green products
The Cummins B6.7 hydrogen engine is a brand-new platform that utilises cutting-edge technology to increase power density, decrease friction losses, and improve thermal efficiency. It has a maximum output of 290 horsepower (216 kW) and a peak torque of 1200 Newton meters (Nm). Consequently, the performance may be maintained using the same drivelines, cooling packages and transmissions. The B6.7H hydrogen engine is a derivative of Cummins’ fuel-agnostic platform, which gives the advantage of a common-base architecture and the potential to utilise low-to-zero carbon fuel.
Cummins’ portfolio of zero-emission products also includes a hydrogen fuel cell engine of the fourth generation. The fuel cell technology is available in single 135 kW and dual 270 kW modules to fulfil the duty-cycle, performance, and packaging requirements of medium and heavy-duty vehicles and buses. The operating cycle efficiency and durability of the systems contribute to a lower total cost of ownership. The Cummins battery portfolio consists of Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery packs, each designed for a distinct duty cycle and application.
Destination Zero is Cummins’ plan to lower the greenhouse gas (GHG) and impact on air quality by its products and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Cummins is following a dual-track strategy, which entails that the business is simultaneously cutting emissions from internal combustion engines and investing in innovative, zero-emissions products. The corporation invests over $1 billion each year in the research and development of emerging technologies.
Cummins’ approach reduces emissions today, incorporates well-to-wheel emissions reductions by matching technology readiness with infrastructure readiness, drives widespread adoption due to affordability by utilising the appropriate technology at the appropriate time, and will achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Cummins displayed its B6.7H hydrogen engine for medium-duty trucks at IAA Transportation 2022 in September. The company also showcased its larger X15H hydrogen engine for heavy-duty trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 44 tonnes, which has a top rating of 530 horsepower (395 kW) and a peak torque of 2600 Newton-meters (Nm).
In addition, the company demonstrated their fuel cell of the fourth generation, which features higher power density, efficiency, and durability while simultaneously delivering zero emissions of greenhouse gases and zero emissions of criteria air pollutants. Both medium- and heavy-duty applications can take advantage of its single 135 kW or twin 270 kW module engines, depending on their specific requirements.
In the same event, the company showcased its medium-duty concept truck powered by the B6.7H hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE). For the Cummins H2-ICE project, a Mercedes-Benz Atego 4×2 truck was used. This truck is extremely adaptable and is utilised by many companies for multi-drop distribution haulage. The work on the hydrogen conversion did not affect the truck’s performance in any way, including its cargo capacity or payload. The effortless replacement of the diesel engine with the 6.7-litre hydrogen engine and connection with the existing driveline demonstrated the capability of H2-ICE to provide fleets with a zero-carbon solution that is based on a technology path that is both less expensive and easier to implement.
