Accelera by Cummins gets $75M DOE grant for zero-emission manufacturing

Cummins Inc. held a news conference at its Columbus (Indiana) Engine Plant (CEP) today to share details of a $75 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) to convert approximately 360,000 sq. ft. of existing manufacturing space at the facility for zero-emissions components and electric powertrain systems. Participating in the news conference were U.S. DOE Under Secretary David Crane; Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins chair and CEO; Amy Davis, president of Accelera by Cummins and Components; and Columbus Mayor Mary Ferndon.

The grant is the largest federal grant ever awarded solely to Cummins and is part of the appropriations related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Cummins plans to match the grant, investing a total of $150 million to convert the space and expand production of battery packs, powertrain systems and other battery-electric vehicle (BEV) components for its zero-emissions business segment, Accelera by Cummins.

As a result of the expansion, Cummins anticipates adding approximately 250 full-time jobs, with opportunities for the plant’s existing workforce to transition to many of the positions over time.

During the event, Davis described the grant as “another step forward in the progress we are making toward a zero-emissions future and expanding battery manufacturing in the United States. She added that the funding will help to strengthen the company’s global position in electrified solutions for commercial markets.

“Today’s announcement represents a crucial step in advancing electrification and domestic battery supply chains, building on the recent creation of Amplify Cell Technologies, our battery cell joint venture with PACCAR and Daimler Truck in Mississippi,” she continued. “Partnership with government, customers, and the industry as a whole is required to accelerate the shift to zero. We are proud of this milestone and to be adding clean tech jobs to develop the workforce and communities of the future.”

Once the expansion is completed, the CEP will house approximately 350 employees focused on BEV-related work, said Cummins. Nearly half of its 1.42 million sq. ft. will be dedicated to zero-emissions manufacturing, with the company estimating the electric powertrains produced reducing carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 104 million metric tons by 2030.

“Known as Plant One, CEP was Cummins’ first engine plant in our headquarter city of Columbus, Ind., and this grant from the DOE allows us to broaden the legacy of the site even further,” said Rumsey of the facility, which opened in 1926. “By expanding the production of batteries and electric vehicle components at CEP, at the same plant where we manufacture blocks and heads for our current and next-generation, engine-based solutions, we continue to prove our commitment to Destination Zero and dedication to innovation, strengthening the communities we serve and environmental stewardship.”

Rumsey, a Columbus native who rose through the ranks of Cummins before being named CEO in August 2022 and chair of the Board of Directors the following August, added that she is “especially proud of the significant contribution Cummins is making to economic and social vibrancies of the local community alongside our broader goals of improving and decarbonizing commercial and industrial applications.”

Billion-dollar battery-factory project breaks ground Construction has started on a billion-dollar battery manufacturing facility in the US