Cummins and GILLIG LLC announced a new electrified power partnership at the APTA public transportation show in Atlanta on Monday. Officials with the Columbus-based engine manufacturer says the work is a collaboration that “focuses on integrating and optimizing new battery electric technology offered by Cummins that will soon power GILLIG zero-emissions transit buses.”
“GILLIG has a very strong business relationship with Cummins, and now, with our new technical partnership, we have been able to share our respective technology roadmaps and jointly develop a vision to deliver the most comprehensive, advanced technology battery electric bus in the market for our customers,” said Derek Maunus, President of GILLIG.
“We have leveraged our companies’ decades of heavy duty transit experience in the design of the system, and will integrate this advanced technology into GILLIG’s industry leading proven platform,” added Maunus.
Amy Boerger, Cummins Vice President of Sales North America, says, “The Cummins electrified powertrain displayed here represents a major leap forward for the industry, and we are delighted that GILLIG will have first access to this important zero-emissions technology. The partnership enables a close technical collaboration so we can accelerate system integration and performance optimization work to leap ahead of others in the industry.”
Cummins say sthat initial development work for the new battery electric GILLIG bus plans for a 200-mile operating range on a single charge. The bus will utilize energy recovered from a regenerative braking system. Company officials say that the initial bus deployment will use a plug-in charger.
This latest announcement further encapsulates Cummins’ efforts to expand beyond its traditional diesel engine business. Tom Linebarger, Cummins Chairman and CEO, and other company officials have repeatedly noted their intent to Cummins an industry leader in clean-power generation. Announcements made by the company over this past several months include the introduction of an all-electric semi truck and powertrain. Cummins officials noted that many municipalities have made, or will make, the move to zero-to-low emission modes of transportation for public bus service and vehicles owned by municipalities. Executives say that customers’ desires for clean energy, as well as Cummins’ own desires to be a good steward to the environment, has necessitated the company’s need to adapt.
While clean energy continues to grow and become a vital component of Cummins’ business, the company says that its traditional diesel engine business is not dying out. Executives say that diesel power is still needed in many industries and developing nations. One area in particular that Cummins says will need diesel powered machines for the foreseeable future is in mining. With that, company officials say that Cummins is dedicated to further developing diesel engines that continue are efficient and reduce pollution with every new development.