Transport Enterprise Leasing, a commercial truck and trailer equipment lease and remarketing provider, has signed a letter of intent planning to purchase Cummins’ 15L hydrogen internal combustion engines to be integrated into its fleet of heavy-duty trucks.

“Our customers are at the heart of our company," said TEL CEO Doug Carmichael in the statement. "Providing them with the best-value trucks equipped with lower emissions power options will ensure that we are prioritizing their continued success and also reducing our environmental footprint. Cummins’ investment in multiple technologies minimizing emissions allows us to achieve both.”

Amy Boerger, vice president and general manager of Cummins Engine Business in North America, said hydrogen internal combustion engines will play an important role in helping decarbonize tjat meet varied needs and duty cycles.

“We are pleased to see the leadership of customers like TEL, who are exploring solutions like our fuel agnostic platform to help their own customers," she said. 

Since announcing the fuel agnostic platform, which includes the hydrogen option in both the 15L and 6.7L displacements, Cummins has responded to customer interest globally about the potential of the platform, and hydrogen in particular.

“We believe this technology is not only essential for the future of our planet but also for our customers to have access to options that work for them,” said Jim Nebergall, general manager of the  Cummins Hydrogen Engine Business. “Internal combustion engines that run on hydrogen will provide customers a financially feasible and familiar power option.”

Hydrogen engines offer OEMs and end-users the benefit of adaptability by continuing to use familiar mechanical drivelines with vehicle and equipment integration, Cummins officials said. This mirrors current powertrains while continuing to provide the power and capability for meeting application needs. Significant reuse of parts and components from Cummins’ existing platforms drives scale advantages on cost and is also projected to deliver reliability and durability equal to diesel. 

Hydrogen engines can use zero-carbon green hydrogen fuel, produced by Cummins-manufactured electrolyzers. The projected investment in renewable hydrogen production globally will provide a growing opportunity for the deployment of hydrogen-powered fleets utilizing either Cummins fuel cell or engine power.

Cummins will display both medium- and heavy-duty hydrogen products, highlighting the technology’s ability to support decarbonization across multiple duty-cycles, at the industry’s largest tradeshow in Hannover, Germany, this September.