Cummins Accelera brand, launched in March 2023, celebrated a year of existence with an impressive list of achievements. The brand focuses on batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, e-axles, traction drives and electrolyzers.
Accelera was selected to manufacture and supply a 90-megawatt proton exchange membrane electrolyzer for Varennes Carbon Recycling plant in Quebec, Canada, helping VCR turn non-recyclable waste into biofuels and circular chemicals.
Within two months of launch, Accelera began electrolyzer production in the United States for the first time. Operations are housed at the Cummins Fridley, Min., plant and the brand’s investment in electrolyzer manufacturing attracted a visit to the plant from President Biden. With 80,000 square feet dedicated to electrolyzer production, the plant kicked off production with Accelera Hylyzer proton exchange membrane electrolyzers, used for both small- and large-scale hydrogen generation projects.
Accelera fuel cell engines power the successful demonstration of the H2Rescue emergency relief truck. Developed with the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy, and other partners, the demo vehicle showcases fuel cell technology as a viable power solution for reliable transportation and rescue. When fully deployed, each vehicle is expected to displace 1,825 gallons of fuel annually with an estimated reduction of greenhouse gasses of 2.5 metric tons.
Accelera and Blue Bird, a leader in electric and low-emission school buses, unveiled the next generation electric school bus.
Powered by the Accelera PowerDrive 7000, the newest version of the brand’s electric powertrain system provides performance and is equipped with a next-generation battery with capacity of 195kWh, a 25-percent increase from the previous model. The buses can now travel up to 130 miles on a single charge. The PowerDrive 7000 simplified architecture with fewer system components and optimized software, improving the vehicle’s energy distribution, reliability and seating capacity.
Powering a hydrogen passenger train
Also Accelera is powering North America’s first hydrogen passenger train, a major milestone and significant step forward in the transition to clean urban transportation and addressing mobility challenges faced by congested cities. The Cordia iLint, manufactured by Alstom, the global green and smart mobility leader, is configured with an innovative “greening” rail package mounted to the roof of the train where Accelera fuel cells work to convert hydrogen into electricity, supplying its power. The green hydrogen used for this demonstration was produced by an Accelera electrolyzer system.
Accelera, Daimler Truck and PACCAR formed a joint venture to advance battery cell production in the U.S. to create scale to deliver cost-effective and differentiated battery cell technology that supports the adoption of electric vehicles for medium- and heavy-duty commercial transportation. The 21-gigawatt hour factory, to be located in Mississippi, is expected to begin producing battery cells in 2027, creating more than 2,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs, with the option for further expansion as demand grows.
Florida Power & Light Co. announced that Accelera would supply a 25-megawatt electrolyzer system for Florida’s first-of-its-kind green hydrogen plant. In February 2024, FPL announced completion of the clean hydrogen hub. Equipped with Accelera electrolyzer technology, the plant leverages solar energy to power the electrolysis process that produces green hydrogen from water, creating cleaner energy to help power FPL customers.
And Accelera announced it will supply Gevo and Zero6 Energy with electrolyzer technology for a 20-megawatt hydrogen production facility. The system will provide zero-emissions hydrogen for a bio-refinery, helping Gevo to decarbonize its liquid transportation fuel and long-term goal of developing zero-emissions fuel and chemical products, helping to make the aviation industry more sustainable.
Accelera has already deployed more than 3,000 fuel cell modules to date, and more than 1.5 million miles have been driven by electric vehicles with Accelera eMobility products.
