Future-Proofing Our Services: Cummins Hydrogen Engines

I’ve been keeping a close eye on the latest developments in the industry. Cummins announced hydrogen engines built on the same base architecture as their existing engine families — part of what they call the fuel-agnostic platform.

One point gets garbled constantly and is worth being precise about, because it changes what the technology means for a repair shop: these are hydrogen internal-combustion engines, not fuel cells. They burn hydrogen in a piston engine. A fuel cell is a completely different device — it converts hydrogen to electricity electrochemically and drives the vehicle with a motor, with no combustion at all. Cummins works on both, but the engines announced on the fuel-agnostic platform are combustion engines.

Why that distinction matters to us: a hydrogen combustion engine is still a piston engine with a block, a head, a valvetrain, and a fuel system — recognizable hardware that a diesel shop can be trained on. A fuel-cell truck is an electrical drivetrain. They are not the same future.

However, while these engines are certainly interesting and could bring some changes to the diesel performance industry, I don’t think they’ll revolutionize it. They’re a step forward, for sure, but it’ll be interesting to see how they perform in real-world applications.

As someone who runs a diesel performance shop, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest diesel technology. It’s good to see companies like Cummins making advancements in the field and offering new options for diesel enthusiasts.

Overall, these hydrogen engines are a noteworthy development. I’m not going to predict how they play out — hydrogen for heavy trucks, in either form, still has real obstacles in front of it.

One of the main challenges is the lack of infrastructure for hydrogen refueling. Unlike traditional diesel fuel, hydrogen fueling stations are not as widespread. This could make it challenging for drivers to refuel their vehicles, especially if they’re traveling to remote areas.

Cost is the other one. Hydrogen fuel itself, the on-board storage, and the vehicles are all expensive relative to diesel today, and that gap is a significant barrier for anyone running trucks as a business rather than as a demonstration.

Overall, while the new hydrogen engines from Cummins are a promising development in the diesel performance industry, it will take time to see if they will become a viable alternative to traditional diesel engines. However, as someone who is passionate about diesel performance, I’m excited to see where this technology will go and how it will evolve in the years to come.