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Werner Enterprises and Cummins Inc. signed a letter of intent to purchase 500 15-liter hydrogen internal combustion engines from Cummins once they become available.
Werner Enterprises wants to test and integrate Cummins’ 15-liter natural gas and X15H hydrogen engines, both part of Cummins’ fuel-agnostic platform, into their fleet, the firms announced earlier this year.
“At Werner, we’re committed to a 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 because we recognize the important role our sustainability efforts play,” said Werner’s Chairman, President and CEO, Derek Leathers. “Our customers are showing increased interest in more sustainable choices in the marketplace, and we see significant potential in utilizing Cummins’ fuel agnostic platform to continue the momentum toward reducing our carbon footprint.”
“We are pleased to see the leadership of customers like Werner Enterprises, who are exploring solutions like our fuel agnostic platform to help their own customers. The future will include many solutions to help customers decarbonize, and we believe hydrogen internal combustion engines will play an important role,” said Brett Merritt, Vice President On-Highway Engine Business, Cummins Inc.
Since the announcement of the fuel-agnostic platform, which includes the Hydrogen option for both the 15 liter and 6.7 liter displacements, Cummins has responded to global customer interest in the platform’s potential, and Hydrogen in particular.
“Our fleet customers have shown tremendous enthusiasm for Hydrogen internal combustion engines, which we believe can be a breakthrough technology essential to reaching Destination Zero,” said Jim Nebergall, General Manager, Cummins Hydrogen Engine Business. “With enough interest, we believe we can manufacture this technology at scale yet this decade providing customers with an option that is a low initial cost, extended vehicle range, powertrain installation commonality, and end user familiarity.”
Destination Zero is Cummins’ plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and air quality impacts of their products to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Hydrogen engines provide OEMs and end-users with adaptability by continuing to utilise conventional mechanical drivetrains for vehicle and equipment integration. This resembles modern powertrains while continuing to meet application requirements for power and capability. Significant reuse of parts and components from Cummins’ existing platforms offers scale-based cost advantages, and diesel-equivalent dependability and longevity is anticipated.
Cummins-manufactured electrolyzers can produce zero-carbon green hydrogen fuel that can be utilized by hydrogen engines. The anticipated global investment in renewable hydrogen production will increase the potential for the deployment of hydrogen-powered fleets utilizing either fuel cell or engine power from Cummins.
In September of this year, Cummins Inc. will display its commitment to decarbonization at the largest industry trade fair in Hannover, Germany. Cummins will exhibit both medium- and heavy-duty hydrogen products, showing the technology’s capacity to enable decarbonization across a variety of duty cycles.
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