Accelera: Cummins stamps a new name on its multi-pronged ZE business

Cummins has been developing new power systems for years, investing more than $1.5 billion in research, technology, and acquisitions. The more than 100-year-old engine and technology company launched Accelera by Cummins, a rebranding of its New Power business unit that includes various zero-emissions solutions for trucking and other industries.

“Cummins is going to be a leader in this decarbonization for fleets,” Amy Davis, the new Accelera president, told FleetOwner the morning after the company announced the new venture. “We are going to help them through it.”

Over the past year, Cummins has rolled out fuel-agnostic engines designed to keep up with the low- and zero-emission movements in all segments of trucking and transportation. The Tier 1 commercial vehicle supplier’s Destination Zero strategy, launched earlier this decade, is spending billions of dollars to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Accelera is advancing a range of zero-emissions solutions, including hydrogen fuel cells, batteries, e-axles, traction systems, and electrolyzers, to power industries from commercial transportation to chemical production. Accelera plans to decarbonize applications like trucks, buses, trains, construction equipment, stationary power, and other carbon-intense industrial processes as a components supplier and integrator.

Doing many 'zero things'

Davis, who has led Cummins’ New Power business unit since 2020, noted that this is just another step in the decarbonization offerings the Columbus, Indiana-based company has been working on for much of this century. And she said that, unlike some of the newer entrants into the commercial vehicle industry—“pure plays” that are focused on just one zero-emission energy source—Cummins has the power to refine and develop all kinds of ZE technology. 

“We're doing so many things,” Davis said of the Accelera side of the business and its new branding. “Let's shine a spotlight on these zero things. Because if you compare us to pure plays, we will have doubled our revenue this year in Accelera. We’ll have $350 to $400 million in revenue, which is significant if you compare that to other people in our space. A lot of our competitors only do a fuel cell or only do batteries, and they’re arguing with each other over that. We’re over that. 

“We’re doing batteries and fuel cells,” she continued. “We know it’s going to take both, and now we have these traction systems and e-axles. We have the broadest portfolio to get it done. So there’s something about putting a spotlight on that. Giving us a platform to just talk about these accomplishments.”

See also: At alt-truck summit, ‘infrastructure’ the keyword

She added that after six acquisitions of businesses in the alternative-fuel spaces, it’s essential to give Accelera its own identity. The most recent major ZE acquisitions included Meritor and Siemens’ commercial vehicle electric drive business.

“Achieving our goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 requires leveraging our entire portfolio of businesses,” Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins president and chief executive, said during a virtual launch event in Washington, D.C., on March 8. “As we have continued to lead in and advance the engine-based solutions that power our customers’ businesses, we have also built the broadest combination of zero-emissions technologies dedicated to the commercial vehicle industry, like battery-electric and fuel cell-electric powertrain solutions and electrolyzers for green hydrogen production. Establishing Accelera reinforces our commitment to leading in zero-emissions solutions and highlights our unmatched ability to leverage our deep understanding of our customers’ needs and applications, technical expertise, and extensive service and support network to walk hand in hand with our customers throughout the energy transition.”

Cummins reports that its technologies reduced the company’s product emissions by more than 90% over the past 25 years. Accelera will continue the parent company’s mission to advance its path toward a zero-emissions future. 

The company listed several recent zero-emissions highlights that Accelera will continue to build on:

• Completing the acquisition of Meritor and Siemens Commercial Vehicle business to advance electric powertrain solutions
• Deploying four hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered Class 8 heavy-duty trucks with several marquee fleet customers in the U.S.
• Increasing global electrolyzer manufacturing capacity with gigawatt-scalable plants in Fridley, Minnesota—the first in the U.S.—and Spain
• Powering the world’s most extensive proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer in operation in the world in Bécancour, Quebec
• Powering the world’s first hydrogen refueling station for ships, cars, trucks, and industrial customers in Antwerp, Belgium
• Powering the world’s first megawatt-scale demonstration plant for storing wind energy in the natural gas grid in WindGas Falkenhagen, Germany
• Powering the world’s first fleets of hydrogen fuel cell passenger trains in Germany
• Powering 52 fuel cell city buses in Lingang, Shanghai
• Powering refuse trucks with FAUN across Europe