The news last week from US-based Cummins – founded in 1919 and since 1933 a truck diesel engine maker – came as a complete surprise as it outlined it would launch a fully-developed, all-electric powertrain for use in vehicles as early as 2020.
The Cummins Concept Class 7 Urban Hauler EV, unveiled last week in Indiana, claims a lightweight battery pack that allows it to hold a longer charge for improved range and faster charging, reducing down time.
It has a range-extender option for longer routes, using high-efficiency Cummins B4.5 or B6.7 engines as a hybrid system. Cummins said the engine-generators will allow the truck to use 50 per cent less fuel compared with rival diesel hybrid trucks.
Cummins director of engine business, Mike Fowler, told GoAutoNews Premium that the roll-out of electric vehicles would probably start with transit buses but that it was clear that electric powertrains for heavy-duty trucks would form a strong part of Cummins’ future.
“As of today there is no real production, heavy-duty electric truck operating in the world,” he said.
“Our demonstration vehicle shows that Cummins, as a technology leader, has been and continues to invest heavily in electrification.
“We see ourselves as a powertrain provider rather than a diesel engine manufacturer and will be able to move into the market faster when electrification demand starts.”
Mr Fowler said that the “real story” is the future of global mobility and electrification.
“You don’t have to look at companies in the Silicon Valley for answers about future vehicles that can meet emission regulations,” he said.
“The mid-west of North America is a wonderful example of what started in 1919 as a small diesel manufacturer that is now at the forefront of electric technology.”
Cummins supplies powertrains to Australian bus manufacturers including Bustech, Iveco and Denning, plus participants who make buses and chassis in other parts of the world.
“When they’re ready to sell and promote a fully electric bus then we’ll be ready to provide them with a fully-electric powertrain,” Mr Fowler said.
He said that Cummins now considers itself to be a technology company and a powertrain provider that can meet market demands.
“That can be anything from diesel to natural gas fully integrated powertrains as demonstrated with our recent joint venture with Eaton, and electric range-extending and fully-electric powertrains,” he said.
Mr Fowler said that all powertrain providers now have some form of electrification strategy.
“The Japanese OEMs have electric light-duty trucks at the moment but in terms of heavy duty, there are only a few competitors on the horizon,” he said.
“In North America that could be Tesla and Nikola who are running fast towards heavy-duty electric trucks.
“But it’s not like the entire auto industry will be taken over by Tesla. The entire auto industry is running fast towards this technology.”
Tesla has unveiled plans to enter the electric heavy-duty truck market with the Tesla Semi, which, said the company’s CEO Elon Musk, will aim at becoming the best-selling truck in the segment.
It will compete with trucks equipped with Cummins future electric powertrain s, and also with the Freightliner – a company owned by Daimler – Cascadia.
Though electrification is seen as the immediate future, Mr Fowler said “the vast majority of what we provide in the near future will very much be as in the past – that is, clean diesel technology”.
“We have had natural gas powertrains for many years and we’ll continue to invest in natural gas, as we are also continuing to invest heavily in electrification in all forms, from mild hybrid to fully electric powertrains.”
But he said the Australian market had “varying degrees of interest” for natural gas powertrains.
“At times it has very much been the function of any government incentives for any alternative engine fuel,” Mr Fowler said.
“At the moment we don’t really see any market appetite for natural gas vehicles in Australia.
“There was a period of time when the transit bus sector was very much involved in natural gas but the technology has really fallen out of favour with bus operators around the world as they move to hybrid electric and full electric vehicles.”
Cummins does retain natural-gas engine products and has refuse-truck customers in Australia and just recently completed an order for a fleet of 20 refuse trucks in Adelaide.
Mr Fowler said low-emission diesels would remain the company’s focus but said that despite presumptions about heavy-duty vehicles and high emission levels, one of the challenges in meeting Euro 6 in Australia was not related to the diesel engine.
“We don’t have an emission issue in the heavy-duty segment. We can meet that,” he said.
“The problem is the light-vehicle market which is unable to move quickly because of the fuel quality in Australia. Diesel fuel is okay – it’s actually petrol that is the issue.
“The answer to meeting the emission regulations lies with the fuel companies. They will have to be able to provide fuel that meets the future standards.”
Mr Fowler said all Cummins products in North America meet the EPA 2017 requirements, “which is essentially an ultra-low emission vehicle running extremely low levels of NOx and particulates”.
“That’s everything from our 5.0-litre V8 diesel that we sell to Nissan for the Titan XD pick-up and also in commercial applications, right through to our six-, seven-, nine-, 12- and 15-litre engines.
“Globally, we cover everything from Euro 2, 3 , 4, and 6 regulations. Right now we are in the process of developing and testing our 15-litre Euro 6 engine in Australia.
“I think that, in Australia, most manufacturers will be ready with a full line up of Euro 6 engines prior to 2021. At least Cummions will be.”
By Neil Dowling
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