Taking Net Zero Emissions Seriously – Auto Components India

Cummins Inc. continues to optimize its engines. Ashish Bhatia looks at products worked to achieve net zero emissions in a serious push.

Cummins Inc. has been at the forefront of all clean developments in internal combustion engines (ICE) and the non-ICE line. Taking the mega exercise beyond Euro6 and Bharat Stage VI emissions compliance standards, for example, the engine maker is invested in for the long haul. The mission is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 through an even cleaner portfolio than what it has maintained in the past. According to Jennifer Rumsey, newly appointed president and CEO of global energy leader Cummins Inc., any negative climate impact cannot be undone and must therefore be proactively rectified. “We must act now. Carbon, once emitted into the atmosphere, cannot be recovered and we can have the greatest impact by focusing on a dual-track approach. Our estimated impact of doing just that is an additional 1.4 gigatonnes of cumulative carbon reduction – the equivalent of taking all trucks off the road for three years,” Rumsey said. It’s no surprise, then, that through its Destination Zero™ strategy, Cummins is committed to continuing advancements in ICE technology while creating a non-ICE product line.

On the one hand, the efforts are aimed at making ICE cleaner while on the other hand, the company wants to stay true to its DNA. It wants to live up to its reputation of delivering new breakthroughs with the next generation of products. The focus is on improving efficiency as well as compatibility with cleaner fuels like hydrogen, biodiesel and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Beyond that, resources will be allocated for continued innovation on fronts such as hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology which are expected to drive capacity advances, reduce costs and drive the development of the industry. required support infrastructure. The idea is to reduce emissions these days by finding an appropriate match between technology readiness and infrastructure readiness. It is expected to lay the groundwork for wide-scale adoption at an opportune time when the market pulls the company down the technology-agnostic path. “We power some of the most demanding and economically vital applications in the world. There is no single technology that will work for all of our customers. We must deliver solutions in a way that ensures a sustainable future for the industries that make the world go round. That’s why we’ve developed a company with the widest range of ultra low and zero emission technologies dedicated to the commercial vehicle industry,” Rumsey explained.

Next Generation ICE
At the recently concluded IAA 2022, Cummins showcased an advanced next-generation diesel platform, X10. Seen as a “convenient” path to emissions reduction and decarbonization for applications that have a rather difficult path to switch to alternative energy solutions. Claimed to be lightweight, the compact 10-litre engine boasts high power density. It is designed to provide heavy-duty capability while meeting multiple future emissions regulations. Its Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is that customers can reduce emissions with a product seen as familiar, proven technology with backward integration, requiring no changes to current operations, service or maintenance. In a testimonial from the company that builds scalable and modular platforms, the company also showcased the X-series. low and zero carbon, including biodiesel and HVO, renewable natural gas and hydrogen. Since all engines are derived from the same base, it is said to facilitate a high degree of parts commonality.

Here, the hydrogen version of Cummins’ fuel-agnostic platform is seen as the crucial initial step to achieving zero emissions for medium and heavy-duty truck manufacturers. The main focus is on three key areas for hydrogen: the production of green hydrogen, the management and transport of hydrogen, and the application of hydrogen in engines and fuel cells. The company introduced the Cummins B6.7H hydrogen engine in the transmission of a medium-duty truck. This was to demonstrate the technology’s compatibility with current truck designs and with comparable performance, range and payload. Here, the hydrogen must be compressed into the available space and meet the duty cycle requirements of the vehicle. Through its joint venture with NPROXX, known for high-pressure hydrogen storage for stationary and mobile applications, the company will support the OEM integration process. NPROXX hydrogen tanks were installed on the concept medium-duty delivery vehicle. A high pressure capacity hydrogen storage system of 700 bar, it is said to offer a potential operating range of up to 500 kilometres.

Anjali Pandey, Vice President, Engines and Components Business, Cummins India

New zero-emissions products revealed included a next-generation fuel cell engine. It is claimed to meet the duty cycle, performance and packaging requirements of medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses, and is available in single 135 kW and dual 270 kW modules. Cummins is known to work with Scania in Europe and Daimler Trucks in North America to develop and integrate these next-generation fuel cells into demonstration vehicles. According to Anjali Pandey, Vice President, Engine Business and Components Business, Cummins India, “While diesel has been the primary fuel source due to its versatility and ease of availability, hydrogen engines have the potential to become a major step on the way to a zero carbon economy because they employ technology that is available today.

Dual module Cummins hydrogen fuel cell engine

Non-ICE zero emission solutions
On the non-ICE solutions front, the company is working to achieve net zero emissions with the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Calling it proven battery chemistry, developing without the use of rare earth metals like nickel and cobalt should make it both affordable and durable. It boasts of faster charging, high power output and 10% longer life expectancy. According to the company’s claims, Cummins LFP batteries are designed to meet continuous duty cycles and help meet requirements for a lower total cost of ownership (TCO). The company also has a set of NMC batteries. In this range, the BP95E is said to have a 30% longer lifespan than previous models. Those looking for a lightweight option can consider the BP30E, designed to meet optimal space utilization. It’s supposed to be compact enough to fit in the tightest spaces of most utility vehicles.

Strategic acquisition
To realize its ambition of a net-zero emissions portfolio by 2050, the company continues to seek competent partners. With the strategic acquisition of Meritor, Cummins hopes to be able to expand its technical capabilities across the entire powertrain and associated subsystems. Meritor is said to bring versatility with its powertrain products and expertise in electric vehicle integration. “We are in a unique position to do something no one else can to help our customers navigate and succeed in the decarbonization process with a range of technology options optimized to meet the needs of all stakeholders. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with our customers on zero-emissions solutions that further our shared goal of reducing our impact on the planet,” concluded Rumsey. credible” by “advancing” current solutions with NOx and CO2 reductions, a bridge through phase that involves many competing solutions for segment by segment to the more expensive electric battery and fuel cell become technologically and financially viable.The focus is also on the progressive decarbonization of the network for an overall “Well-to-Wheel” impact. AIT