Two joint ventures centered on greener trucking are closer to a reality on Tuesday.
Volvo and Westport Fuel Systems closed the transaction on their joint venture. The new company will be led by Dan Sceli, CEO of Westport, Scott Baker and Anders Johansson on an interim basis. Baker will take the role of vice president, product development and technology officer. Johansson will be vice president and commercial officer. The venture will be headquartered in Vancouver.
"The successful closing of the joint venture represents an important milestone for Westport and a true endorsement of our HPDI (high-pressure direct injection) technology and fuel system," Sceli says. "Together, we will accelerate the commercial adoption of HPDI for OEMs globally by leveraging the HPDI fuel system to its fullest potential. HPDI is uniquely poised to create and implement affordable solutions in hard-to-abate sectors like heavy-duty transport and off-road applications."
HPDI allows customers to continue using internal combustion engines while achieving near-zero greenhouse gas emissions, the companies say. The system replaces greenhouse gas-emitting fuels, such as diesel, with carbon-neutral or zero-carbon fuels such as biogas or hydrogen.
Amplify Cell Technologies was formed from a joint venture of Accelera by Cummins, Daimler Trucks & Buses U.S., and Paccar, the companies announced. Amplify will be led by Kel Kearns as CEO. The company aims to localize battery cell production and the commercial vehicle battery supply chain in the United States. It will soon begin construction of a 21-gigawatt hour factor in Mississippi with the potential for further expansion as demand grows. The factory is expected to create more than 2,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs. Production is targeted to start in 2027.
"Cummins' power solutions are at the heart of the economy, and we have the responsibility to decarbonize in a way that meets our customers' varied needs as they navigate the energy transition," says Jennifer Rumsey, chair and CEO of Cummins. "Amplify Cell Technologies will enable Accelera by Cummins and our partners to advance battery cells focused on commercial and industrial applications in North America and serve our customers' evolving needs. This is a significant step forward as we continue leading our industry into the next era of smarter, cleaner power."
Accelera, Daimler Truck and Paccar each own 30% of Amplify. EVE Energy serves as the technology partner with 10% ownership and contributes its industry-leading battery cell design and manufacturing expertise to the venture.
"Amplify Cell Technologies will enable Paccar to offer customers cost-effective premium quality battery electric powertrains that meet their operational and sustainability needs," says Preston Feight, Paccar CEO. "We are pleased to begin this exciting venture with these world class partners."
