Celebrating the first year anniversary of Accelera™ by Cummins

Accelera™ by Cummins launched March 2023, achieving impressive results during its first action-packed year. The impact of Accelera continues to build momentum in supporting Cummins’ Inc.'s mission to make people’s lives better by powering a more prosperous world. 

With a diverse technology portfolio for the world’s most economically vital industries, Accelera enables them to confidently shift to more sustainable solutions. Both a components supplier and integrator, the brand focuses on batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, e-axles, traction drives and electrolyzers. From fossil fuel to fuel cell, from gas station to charging station, from grid lock to green grid, there is no doubt the work of Accelera is wide spread and advancing Cummins’ path toward the company’s Destination Zero strategy.

Significant achievements

Although the brand just turned one, Accelera™ is part of the Cummins’ legacy of over 100 years in innovation and manufacturing. Trains, planes, buses and so much more – here are just some of the highlights of where Accelera has “traveled” over the past year and what its journey means to our world:

• A key step in advancing North America’s green hydrogen economy, Accelera was selected to manufacture and supply a 90-megawatt proton exchange membrane electrolyzer for Varennes Carbon Recycling (VCR) plant in Quebec, Canada. A first time for Accelera in this industry, the collaboration showcases the unique capabilities of the brand to innovate and meet customer demands, helping VCR turn non-recyclable waste into biofuels and circular chemicals.
• Within two months of launch, Accelera began electrolyzer production in the U.S. for the first time. Operations are housed a the Cummins Fridley Plant and the brand’s investment in electrolyzer manufacturing attracted a visit to the plant from President Biden during his “Investing in America” tour. With 80,000 sq. ft. dedicated to electrolyzer production, Fridley 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 various partners, including the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy, 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, the 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 superior performance and is equipped with a next-gen 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
• Accelera powers 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 today’s congested cities face. 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 were also 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 (GWh) factory – to be located in Marshall County, 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.
• In March 2022, Florida Power & Light Company (FLP) announced [Accelera by] Cummins would supply a 25-megawatt electrolyzer system for Florida’s first-of-its-kind “green” hydrogen plant. In February 2024, FLP 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 across the grid.
• 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 in their path to decarbonizing their liquid transportation fuel and long-term goal of developing zero-emissions fuel and chemical products. As the aviation sector is a substantial contributor to carbon emissions, growing the sustainable aviation industry is a key step in accelerating the shift to a zero-emissions future.

The journey to zero continues

With a global team comprising over 2,000 innovators spanning across three continents, there is so much more being planned with no time being wasted. Accelera has already deployed over 3,000 fuel cell modules to date, and there have been over 1.5 million miles driven by electric vehicles with Accelera eMobility products. Currently, there is a backlog of approx. 500 megawatts of electrolyzers in North America and Europe, translating to approx. 225 tons of hydrogen produced per day once all are commissioned. 

With the goal of securing a sustainable future for the industries that keep the world running, Accelera is dedicated to supporting the energy transition and Cummins staying ahead of the ever-changing energy landscape. By leveraging Cummins’ deep understanding of its customers’ needs and the demands of their applications, Accelera is working diligently to deliver leading technologies necessary to accelerate the shift to zero.

Visit Accelera™ by Cummins and stay current in learning more about its promising paths forward.