We are thrilled to announce that Accelera by Cummins, an industry-leading clean energy technology brand, has joined ZEB Con 2023 as a Diamond Sponsor! Accelera by Cummins provides a diverse portfolio of zero-emission solutions for the world's most economically vital industries, empowering them to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. Accelera, a business segment of Cummins Inc., is both a components supplier and integrator, focused on batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, e-axles, traction drives and electrolyzers. Accelera provides technologies and solutions that help transit, coach, and school bus OEMs, and their customers, achieve their decarbonization goals.

CTE sat down with John Bennett, General Manager, ePowertrain Systems to discuss Accelera's commitment to fostering innovation in clean transportation solutions for the transit industry and beyond.‍

How does your zero-emission technology compare to traditional alternatives in terms of performance, efficiency, and reliability?

‍Over the past 25 years, Cummins has invested significantly in research and technology, capital and acquisitions to build Accelera's leadership and technological capabilities. Accelera now offers a wide range of zero-emission solutions for both on-highway, off-highway and applications.

As part of Accelera's portfolio, we are providing end-to-end technology solutions - solving on both sides of the chicken-and-egg equation. These technologies include:

• Electrolyzers for hydrogen production
• Fuel cells that run on hydrogen
• Electrified components
• Components to complete the electric powertrain in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) or a battery electric vehicle (BEV), like e-axles and traction systems

We are committed to engineering quality products and are proud to share that our partnership with GILLIG transit bus resulted in the highest-ever score for a battery-electric bus tested at Altoona, PA, with a total score of 89.5 at the end of 2022. This performance score, assessed by APTA, evaluated key areas such as maintainability, reliability, safety, structural integrity, noise, fuel economy, and emissions.

‍What are the key benefits and cost savings that organizations can expect to achieve by adopting your zero-emission technology?

‍While zero-emission technologies may have higher upfront costs, ongoing developments aim to make them more cost-effective and scalable over time. Funding programs are available for early adopters to offset some of the initial costs and combined with lower operating and maintenance costs of zero-emission vehicles, Total Cost of Ownership parity (TCO) can be achieved, making them the more favorable choice for fleets.

At Accelera, we provide customers with two options to achieve zero emissions: fuel cell and battery solutions, both of which come with numerous benefits. Both technologies provide zero-tailpipe emissions, delivering health and environmental benefits to communities, drivers, and passengers.

Which fuel type you choose really depends on your application. Accelera's integrated powertrain solutions for battery-electric buses enhance efficiency and regenerative braking capabilities, making them more durable and maneuverable than traditional internal combustion engines, even in harsh weather conditions. Our FCEVs are highly efficient, offering the promise of longer driving ranges compared to traditional BEVs - and thanks to their modular design, customers can customize their power requirements.

With the largest service support network in North America, we are committed to supporting our customers from the beginning stages of implementation all the way through to successful integration. By providing best-in-class service support, we can ensure faster service and minimal downtime for potential maintenance or service needs.

‍Could you provide some insights into the scalability and compatibility of your zero-emission technology?

‍Our BEV systems are tested and validated with a variety of charging solutions available today and can support both plug-in, pantograph, and wireless charging. All our powertrain components are scalable and available for implementation on different platforms and applications. The software and hardware go together and can be tailored to specific OEM requirements. Our powertrain strategy includes energy-efficient control logic, efficient hardware and eloquent integration options to achieve the customer's end goal in terms of range, cost effectiveness and reliability.

We ensure that our zero-emission technology relies on the ability to mass-produce and be cost-effective to make it affordable. This process makes the technology reliable and secure for customers.

‍As a sponsor of ZEB Con, how do you plan to showcase your zero-emission technology and engage with attendees?

‍Accelera is excited to be attending this conference for the first time! We want the industry, customers and future customers to have a better understanding of the diverse range of solutions we offer. Throughout this event, we'll be showcasing our BP95E and 1CS 2022 Motor and Elfa 3 Inverter, a selection of our battery and traction system offerings.