Cummins and Komatsu 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 powertrain solutions and optimizing the next generation of hybrid mining equipment.
Building on a strong legacy of diesel engine supply across a wide variety of mining and construction equipment, Cummins and Komatsu plan to add hybrids to their product line.
“We are thrilled to partner with Komatsu once again to bring the latest advancements to the mining sector,” said Gbile Adewunmi, Cummins vice president of industrial markets and 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.”
The companies say that retrofit hybrid solutions hold the potential to help mining customers accelerate their decarbonization journeys 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.
“This collaboration with Cummins is an important step in advancing practical decarbonization solutions,” commented Dan Funcannon, senior vice president of Komatsu’s surface haulage business unit. “Together, we’re helping bridge current operational needs with future low-carbon goals to support our customers’ sustainability efforts.”
Cummins’ acquisition of First Mode assets in February 2025 brought critical capabilities and development pace to its hybrid efforts, with pilot units deploying this year.
“Commercializing hybrid retrofit kits is a key first step,” said Molly Puga, First Mode general manager. “With the pace of development already underway 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.”
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