Cummins and Partners Celebrate Breakthrough in Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine Technology
Key Ideas
- Cummins, along with key technology partners, successfully developed a 6.7-litre hydrogen internal combustion engine for medium-duty trucks and buses, achieving a significant reduction in tailpipe carbon emissions.
- The Project Brunel consortium, supported by the UK Government and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, showcased the viability of hydrogen internal combustion engine technology for commercial vehicles, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in industry decarbonization.
- The project's success paves the way for the scalability of hydrogen internal combustion engine design to heavy-duty applications, including non-road mobile machinery, with Cummins already working on a 15-litre engine for larger vehicles.
- Cummins' investment in a new Powertrain Test Facility in Darlington underscores the company's commitment to advancing a broad portfolio of powertrain technologies, including hydrogen, in line with its Destination Zero sustainability strategy.
Cummins Inc. and its technology partners have completed 'Project Brunel,' which focused on developing hydrogen internal combustion engine technology for commercial vehicles. The project, funded by the UK Government and facilitated by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, successfully delivered a 6.7-litre hydrogen internal combustion engine for medium-duty trucks and buses. This engine, utilizing zero-carbon hydrogen fuel and advanced after-treatment systems, achieved over a 99% reduction in tailpipe carbon emissions compared to diesel engines.
The collaboration between Cummins, Johnson Matthey, PHINIA, and Zircotec resulted in significant advancements in H2-ICE engine performance and durability. The project showcased the potential of hydrogen internal combustion engines in reducing air pollution from heavier-duty applications. The partners emphasized the importance of this technology in accelerating the decarbonization of commercial vehicles and highlighted the scalability of the design to heavy-duty vehicles.
Key representatives from the consortium expressed optimism about the future of hydrogen internal combustion engines and the role of the UK in leading this technology. They discussed the potential for creating high-value manufacturing bases and competitive export businesses centered around H2-ICE technology. Cummins' investment in a new Powertrain Test Facility in Darlington further solidifies its commitment to sustainability and innovation in powertrain technologies, including hydrogen, as part of its broader Destination Zero strategy.