Cummins (NYSE: CMI) unveiled the PowerDrive, a suite of plug-in hybrid powertrain solutions spanning light, medium and heavy-duty applications, at the recent IAA Commercial Vehicle Show.

The Cummins PowerDrive offers both parallel and series capabilities. It replaces the conventional transmission and switches in real time between two hybrid and two pure electric modes, optimizing the powertrain for the best fuel economy in any driving situation. It offers a 50-mile electric range.

Cummins has tested the PowerDrive system for over six million miles in fleet settings in the US and China, and plans to introduce it to the European market in the near future.

At the IAA show, Cummins demonstrated the PowerDrive 6000, paired with a Cummins B6.7, in the Kenworth T370, a US Class 6 truck with a gross weight of 33,000 lbs. The vehicle is configured with exportable grid-quality electric power and a recovery crane operating on either electric or engine power take-off.

“The Cummins PowerDrive is intelligent, versatile and compact, providing our on-highway customers the flexibility needed to meet the demands of their diverse jobs and markets,” said Julie Furber, Cummins Executive Director of Electrified Power. “Cummins is ready to offer the new PowerDrive suite through our OEM partners. We look forward to discussing how the PowerDrive’s compact packaging envelope and weight saving benefits will enable OEMs to produce PHEVs for diverse needs without compromising performance or range.”

Source: Cummins