Today, Cummins Inc. [NYSE: CMI] announced they will launch the new RPL35+ driveline at the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) 2026 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee. The RPL35+ is Cummins’ lightest-ever driveline for Class 8 applications in the 21,500 ft lbs high-torque range. This latest evolution within the established Permalube™ RPL series improves upon a longstanding legacy and will provide additional value to the North American class 8 sector, where fleets continue to prioritize payload, serviceability and total cost of ownership.

Dongfeng Cummins Engine Co., Ltd. (DCEC), a Sino-US joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Cummins Inc., manufactures marine engines primarily for auxiliary and light-to-medium propulsion applications in inland waterways, coastal vessels, and small commercial craft. Foreign-built marine engines, represented by global leaders such as Cummins Inc. (US), MAN Energy Solutions (Germany), Caterpillar (US), and Wärtsilä (Finland), cover a broader spectrum from high-power main propulsion engines for ocean-going vessels to specialized auxiliary units. While both share Cummins’ core technical standards, DCEC marine engines and foreign counterparts differ significantly in product positioning, manufacturing localization, performance calibration, cost structure, service networks, and application adaptability.

It is clear why long-term equipment stability is so highly valued within the mining sector. Operators need machines that return value on investment, can operate reliably for a long time in harsh conditions and experience as limited amount of unexpected downtime as possible. The engine is critical to overall equipment performance, which is why Cummins takes the long view when it comes to their support model for miners, combining a century of engineering expertise with their extensive service network to deliver powerful performance throughout the entire engine lifecycle. How this plays out in the field can be seen in several ways.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are arguably the most critical element in creating a resilient, flexible grid with high renewable energy penetration. Their potential contributions are wide-ranging and significant, but not always well understood, even among grid operators. BESS installations are typically associated with renewable generation sources. They integrate well with various generation and demand scenarios, from the single domestic home through community and industrial setups to whole-grid stabilization.