Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) joined the National Safety Council (NSC), America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate, and more than a dozen of the nation’s leading employers in signing the MSD Pledge to address the most common workplace injury: musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). 

It can be difficult to grasp the role natural gas engines play when it comes to reducing transportation emissions and making the trucking industry more sustainable. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, just like diesel and gasoline, so there are some misconceptions about the environmental benefits it can provide, particularly when compared to emerging alternative powertrain options like hydrogen fuel cell or battery electric vehicles (BEV). Both fuel cell and BEV vehicles are often referred to as “zero emission” options.

Compared to diesel and gasoline vehicles, natural gas engine vehicles pollute less, have a smaller carbon footprint, and use a fuel that doesn’t present any risk of soil or water contamination. Surely, these environmental benefits of natural gas engines must come at a cost premium, right?

Natural gas has been taking an increasingly central role in our energy supply over the past decades. In developed countries, the use of other fossil resources has stagnated or declined. In 2020, oil consumption in Organized for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries is essentially what it was in 1995, and coal use has declined by almost half. In contrast, the consumption of natural gas has increased by 20% over the same period. In non-OECD countries, natural gas use has nearly tripled.

Natural gas engines can be a great option for commercial vehicles. They’re quieter than diesel engines, they reduce air pollution, and they can help fleets save a lot of money on operating costs, especially when it comes to fuel. So why don’t more fleets switch to natural gas engines?   Compressed Natural Gas, or CNG engines are a great option for a wide range of fleets and commercial vehicle applications, but not all.  

Compared to traditional diesel engines, natural gas engines have several advantages. A few of the benefits of natural gas engines are that they cause less air pollution, are quieter and run on fuel that is cheaper and less volatile than diesel. On the other hand, operating natural gas vehicles requires a deliberate fuel strategy because there are few compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations in the wild.  

Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) has named Alexey Ustinov the leader of its hydrogen generation business as Vice President of Electrolyzers. Ustinov has been with Cummins for 28 years and will leverage his deep industry expertise, most recently leading the company’s off-highway diesel engine segment, to realize Cummins’ goals in the hydrogen technology space.

If you’re a truck or a bus manufacturer that already has a hydrogen fuel cell program, you should consider offering a line of vehicles with a hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) as an option for your customers.

If you manage a fleet of commercial vehicles, you have probably read or heard about hydrogen engines and hydrogen fuel cells. Fuel cells have come a long way over the years, and they have a bright future. Hydrogen engines and hydrogen fuel cells each have their roles in decarbonizing the commercial transportation sector today and the decades ahead.