Cummins Inc. and Komatsu Ltd. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of hybrid powertrains for surface haulage heavy mining equipment.
As part of this collaboration, Komatsu has included Wabtec, its drive system supplier, extending their involvement in providing advanced, reliable powertrain solutions and optimization for the next generation of hybrid mining equipment.
Building on a legacy of diesel engine supply across a wide variety of mining and construction equipment, Cummins and Komatsu will add hybrids to their product roadmaps of power technology solutions for progressive decarbonization in large mining haul truck applications.
This joint development effort will leverage the breadth and scale of Komatsu’s and Cummins’ global capabilities to enable the acceleration of optimized hybrid solutions for mining. Retrofit hybrid solutions hold the potential to help mining customers accelerate their decarbonization journey today while lowering the cost of operations of their installed fleet assets. Hybrid solutions yield fuel savings by capturing braking energy while delivering productivity improvements through faster cycle times.
“We are thrilled to partner with Komatsu once again to bring the latest advancements to the mining sector,” said Gbile Adewunmi, Cummins vice president – Industrial Markets, Power Systems. “We have a robust team of Cummins and former First Mode experts dedicated to hybrid development and optimization, and now collaborating with Komatsu, we can bring miners the flexibility and confidence they need to decarbonize and improve total cost of operations.”
Cummins’ acquisition of First Mode assets in February 2025 brings critical capabilities and development pace to the efforts, with pilot units deploying yet this year.
“This collaboration with Cummins is an important step in advancing practical decarbonization solutions,” said Dan Funcannon, senior vice president, Komatsu Surface Haulage Business Unit. “Together, we’re helping bridge current operational needs with future low-carbon goals to support our customers’ sustainability efforts.”
Like Cummins, Komatsu is committed to reducing environmental impact through its business, targeting carbon neutrality from use of its products and production of its equipment by 2050. Hybrids provide a meaningful first step towards this goal, while also meaningfully improving total cost of ownership through fuel savings and productivity benefits.
“Commercializing hybrid retrofit kits is a key first step,” said Molly Puga, First Mode general manager. “With the pace of development already under way now accelerated by this collaborative partnership, we’re confident in delivering hybrid products at scale well in advance of 2030. The initial First Mode retrofit kit pilot will go into the market in the coming months, where we expect to see double-digit fuel savings in mining operations.”
In 2024, Cummins and Komatsu teamed up with Vale on another decarbonization project, partnering to develop dual fuel haul trucks, utilizing a mix of ethanol in diesel, to reduce CO2 emissions. Both projects support Cummins’ Destination Zero, the company's commitment to sustainability and helping its customers navigate the energy transition.
