Those working in this sector will know that, contrary to popular belief, engine production plants can be clean, bright and calm working environments, and the plant at Darlington is no exception. It’s also joined by a powertrain test facility. This 8000sq ft lab can accommodate everything up to a double decker bus, and exchanges all the air inside the vast chamber every single minute, to prevent the build-up of explosive gas pockets.
That amazing rate of exchange, and some other key features, allow Cummins to safely develop, test and calibrate the most volatile powertrain options of H2 ICE.
The facility itself is available for other manufacturers to use, and since it can be used to test every other powertrain including electric axles thanks to its four hub dynamometers, it is a technology agnostic asset.
Given the importance of this sector to the UK economy, and the complexity of use cases for heavy vehicles, operators need options to shrink their carbon footprint, including H2 ICE. With the appropriate investment in infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling, truck decarbonisation is entirely possible without compromising operations and reduce carbon and pollutant emissions now as new technology solutions are developed. Industry eagerly awaits the results of the government’s HGV CO2 regulatory framework consultation – and technology neutrality will help us to decarbonise rapidly, and sustainably.
