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Air Products and Cummins have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on accelerating the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell trucks in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Cummins will offer hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains fitted into heavy-duty trucks from selected OEM partners for Air Products as the company begins the process of converting its global fleet of distribution vehicles to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
After a successful demonstration and pilot phase, Air Products intends to convert its global fleet of around 2,000 trucks to zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Cummins and Air Products anticipate that the demonstration phase will start in 2022. Furthermore, Cummins and Air Products will collaborate to enhance the accessibility of renewable hydrogen, including hydrogen infrastructure opportunities that encourage the use of hydrogen for transportation.
“We believe hydrogen is the future for heavy duty segments of the transportation market and we can demonstrate to the world its merits by being a first-mover in transitioning our heavy-duty fleet of trucks to hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. We are pleased to be working with Cummins to achieve our fleet transition goals. Sustainability is Air Products’ growth strategy and creates our growth opportunities, and nothing says more about our company’s approach to sustainability than a fleet of zero-emission vehicles on the road delivering product to customers every day.”
Seifi Ghasemi, Air Products’ chairman, president and chief executive officer.
“This is another turning point for hydrogen and the energy transition. As we develop the technologies of tomorrow, we need the partnership of others to be successful, and this partnership with Air Products is the next step in leading the industry on the path to a zero-emissions future.”
Tom Linebarger, chairman and chief executive officer at Cummins.
“The best way to promote the adoption of hydrogen for mobility in heavy-duty applications is for us to have units on the road and lead by example. In addition to other heavy-duty applications like transit fleets, where we already provide fueling solutions, the semi-truck market is a major opportunity for hydrogen due to its rigorous requirements. Only hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can provide the necessary range, refueling time, and weight requirements to decarbonize this important transportation sector.”
Eric Guter, Air Products’ vice president for hydrogen for mobility solutions.
“We are thrilled to work with Air Products to take this important step towards transitioning thousands of their trucks to zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Together with Air Products, we will combine our vast expertise in hydrogen—from production to consumption—with the on-road learnings we already have through our Cummins-powered zero-emissions fleet. From the hundreds of battery electric buses and trucks to fuel cell systems for bus and rail, working with these innovative fleets creates the tipping point necessary for us to scale and accelerate a carbon-neutral world.”
Amy Davis, vice president and president of New Power at Cummins.
Hydrogen is an essential technology choice for environmentally friendly transportation, particularly heavy-duty vehicles. Because of the duty-cycles, particularly under adverse climate conditions, hydrogen fuel cells are gaining traction as the technology of choice in heavy-duty applications. Hydrogen as a transportation fuel is the most similar to the typical consumer transportation fuel experience, and Air Products has been a pioneer in this field for decades. Air Products’ technologies are utilized in over 1.5 million refuelings each year across 20 nations, with the company involved in over 250 projects.
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