Feature > OE/AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER
Destination Zero Cummins is devoting resources to tackle what some say is the greatest technological challenge in its 103-year history, a zero-emissions generator capable of meeting upcoming California regulatory standards. By RV News Staff | Photos by 651 Lab
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ummins is developing a path to what it calls “Destination Zero”—a goal to provide zero-emission power-generating products by 2050. The plan was revved up by new California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations for small off-road engines. Those new regulations will impact Cummins’ RV gas generators used in California. The standard mandates reaching zero emissions by 2028, with an added requirement to be halfway to the standard by 2024. To meet the challenge, Cummins is supercharging its Mobile Power division of employees, adding new staff and updated responsibilities. As supplychain challenges, particularly with semiconductor chips, hampered deliveries in 2021, Cummins assigned an A-Team of executives to find solutions.
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RV News | June 2022
“We set up an organization called ‘Mobile Power’ that wakes up every day solely focused on the customer requirements for RV and commercial applications,” said Jennifer Hodson, Mobile Power sales and marketing director. “(Mobile Power Technology Executive Director) Kelly Schmitz was brought over from another business unit to exclusively focus on product planning. We are taking this seriously. We are putting some really big guns and knowledgeable people on it, along with our very talented sales team, who we have had for many years, and are established in the industry.” Hodson said leaders were assigned to each component deemed a longterm impediment to the supplier’s recent ability to deliver generators to RV OEMs. Each executive oversees a
dedicated cadre of people for every component’s availability. “As a company, we have really put a lot of resources and effort behind how we mitigate this and ensure our customers are not as impacted as they may be in other industries,” Hodson said. Schmitz has spent 23 years with Cummins. He leads the product planning and engineering teams. Under Schmitz, Cummins is working to create new gas generators that will meet California’s 2024 emission standard as well as a future zeroemission solution. “Cummins is committed to providing the next generation of power,” said Karl Wilson, Cummins’ Mobile Power sales director. “Kelly’s main purpose is to bridge us into that next generation of power.” rvnews.com
