With no “silver bullet” zero carbon liquid fuel solution available to quickly decarbonize commercial transportation, Cummins President and CEO Jennifer Rumsey admits trucking is in its messy middle period. It’s too early to know which technologies will prove best for medium- and heavy-duty truck fleets with zero-emission and sustainability goals in the decades to come.
During a keynote presentation and Q&A period at the Green Truck Summit Tuesday during the Work Truck Week in Indianapolis, Rumsey detailed how Cummins is investing and evaluating zero-emission technology and best positioning its business to be ready to scale when specific alternative powertrain options begin to gain substantial market share.
Touching on solutions like hydrogen fuel cell, natural gas, battery electric and its unique agnostic engine line, Rumsey said Cummins has spent the past few years intentionally diversifying its operations and expanding its New Power business unit to offer solutions in all future technology areas.
California’s 2024 emissions regulations and the new EPA 2027 regulations may be the biggest hurdles for engine makers over the next decade, but Rumsey said Cummins believes 2030 “will be a tipping point for some of these alternatives.” Customer interest continues to grow and with it, so does technological innovation and capabilities.
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But what technology will take off first, and where? Rumsey said that will depend on “incentives and infrastructure.”
