U.S.-based power equipment manufacturer Cummins Inc. has inked a deal with longtime partner Tata Motors Ltd to focus on growing production of low-emissions technology such as hydrogen-powered engines, battery electric drivetrains and fuel cell systems in India over the next few years.
Cummins and Tata Motors have worked together in a India joint venture since 1993. The new memorandum of understanding will bring them closer in collaboration on e-mobility tools to decarbonize the transportation sector, the companies say.
The partnership entity will be called TCPL Green Energy Solutions Private Ltd and will be a wholly owned subsidiary under the existing joint venture. These lower emissions technologies such as the H2-fired power, fuel cell and electric vehicle drivetrains will be developed by the new TCPL GES and sold as both on-highway and off-highway applications.
Tata Motors has promised to achieve Net-Zero emissions in its commercial vehicles segment by 2045.
“We are collaborating with partners who believe in this vision,” Girish Wagh, executive director of Tata Motors, said in a statement while meeting with Cummins executives. “Together, we will develop and indiginize smart and green powertrain technologies to create India-specific sustainable mobility solutions.”
The new, partnered productions also will be created through the AcceleraTM by Cummins brand. Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey also signed off on the expanded India agreement, deepening ties in a market where Cummins already employs more than 10,000 people producing fuel systems, air handling, filtration and electrical power generation equipment.
“Progress requires partnership, and I am delighted that we are embarking on this decarbonization journey with our trusted partner of 30 years—Tata Motors,” Rumsey said. “Together, we will advance low- and zero-emissions technologies in a way that is best for our customers, communities and the planet. By doing so, we are also unlocking new opportunities to innovate for our employees all over the world and those who share our passion for powering a more prosperous world.”
India itself is one of the world’s fastest growing emerging economies, one that is trying to clean up its energy profile while also striving to meet significant challenges in providing power for all of its resident. To keep up, the nation’s power entities may need to add 800 GW of installed electric capacity over this decade, with at least 500 GW of that need to be low or carbon-free generation resources, according to reports.
On the e-mobility front, some 300,000 to 400,000 electric vehicles are being sold in-country annually, according to some reports. India could become a top-three EV market by 2030.
Cummins, meanwhile, has been manufacturing electrolyzers—which split and retain hydrogen out of water—for global markets. The company also is working with other vehicle makers such as Daimler Trucks, Hyundai and Isuzu Motors on hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric equipment, respectively.
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(Rod Walton, senior editor for EnergyTech, is a 15-year veteran of covering the energy industry both as a newspaper and trade journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]).
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