Isuzu Commercial Truck of America (ICTA) and Utilimaster, at this week’s National Truck Equipment Association 2011 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN, unveiled the Reach - their “game-changing” commercial van that offers the functionality of a custom-built work truck along with the styling and ergonomics of a cargo van.
ICTA is the distributor of Isuzu commercial vehicles in the United States. Isuzu commercial trucks have been the best-selling low-cab-forward trucks in America every year since 1986.
Utilimaster is a leading manufacturer of walk-in vans and commercial truck bodies for the delivery and service markets. It is a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, which designs, engineers and manufactures specialty chassis, specialty vehicles and truck bodies and aftermarket parts for the RV, emergency-rescue, defense, delivery and service markets.
The Reach commercial van has a body designed by Utilimaster Corporation that sits atop an Isuzu NPR Eco-Max chassis. Power is supplied by Isuzu’s 3.0-liter diesel engine that will achieve 35 percent better fuel economy than a traditional commercial van application, according to said Shaun Skinner, executive vice president and general manager of ICTA.
The Reach will offer “exceptional fuel mileage and will meet the latest EPA emissions standards,” he added, while still “providing true commercial truck capability and delivering a dramatically lower cost of ownership than traditional walk-in vans.”
Low ownership cost
“The Reach is the ideal walk-in van for today’s market because its Isuzu powertrain offers incredible fuel efficiency and proven durability, and its frame, suspension, steering and braking systems are true commercial grade, not just beefed passenger van components” said Skinner. “Today’s fleet and vocational buyers are looking for low cost of ownership, and the Reach lives up to its name. It reaches a new standard in low cost of ownership that no other commercial van can match.”
John Marshall, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Utilimaster, added: “There is no compromise with the Reach. Buyers won’t sacrifice practicality for fuel economy and long-term dependability.
“Utilimaster has worked extensively to design a body that offers significantly more interior height and width than other commercial vans, and it will have multiple design options to maximize utility and driver productivity. We believe the Reach will truly revolutionize the commercial van market.”
Chassis and powertrain
With the Reach, the stripped chassis’s engine has been relocated to minimize engine protrusion into the cab, facilitating driver movement in and out of the front seat for improved productivity. Likewise, the driver seat position and numerous component locations have been revised to accommodate the walk-in van body.
Otherwise, it is the same 12,000-pound gvwr Isuzu NPR Eco-Max chassis that has been tested and proven around the world for ruggedness and reliability, Skinner pointed out. More than 200,000 Isuzu N-Series trucks are produced and sold annually globally.
Of the more than 400,000 Isuzu-built diesel trucks sold in North America since 1986, more than 81 percent are still registered and in service today – “a testament to the chassis’s strength and dependability,” he said.
Powering the Reach is Isuzu’s state-of-the-art, biodiesel fuel compatible 4JJ1-TC 3.0-liter turbocharged engine generating 150 hp, mated to a Aisin medium duty six-speed automatic transmission with double overdrive, lock-up torque converter and power take-off (PTO) function.
In independent testing, this powertrain achieved a 35 percent better mileage than traditional commercial vans, said Skinner. This “impressive fuel economy does not come at the expense of long-term durability. The engine has class-leading B10 durability ratings of 310,000 miles, meaning that 90 percent will reach that mileage before requiring an overhaul.”
Like Isuzu’s N-Series trucks, the Reach meets the most stringent emissions standards in the world. The 4JJ1-TC engine employs selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology which injects diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) into the hot exhaust stream to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by over 85 percent.
As a result, the Reach is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2010 and California Air Resources Board (CARB) OBD II compliant.
Commercial van features
The Reach will be offered in two wheelbases - 134 and 151 inches - and three body lengths: 10, 12 and 14 feet. With an interior up to 27 inches higher than a conventional Ford or GM van and 10 inches wider than a Sprinter van, the cargo area can offer 450, 540 or 630 cubic feet of storage, depending on wheelbase and body length selected, said Utilimaster’s Marshall.
The Reach’s cab and cargo area were designed with intense focus on fuel efficiency through advanced aerodynamics; driver safety and productivity through applied ergonomics; utility through ingenious design; and durability and ease of repair through innovative engineering, he noted.
The dramatic profile of the Reach demonstrates the importance Utilimaster designers placed on aerodynamics, said Marshall. The streamlined shape - 11 percent more aerodynamic than comparable vehicles - improves fuel efficiency while it reduces interior noise.
The use of light-weight composite materials save 600 pounds of weight per vehicle. Composite construction lasts longer than traditional steel body panels, which are subject to corrosion.
A body-on-frame design allows for ease of repair. All body panels have been designed for quick removal and replacement so that if repairs are necessary, the vehicle can easily and quickly be restored to its original condition. There is easy-to-access maintenance items.
To achieve maximum durability of the Reach’s body, engineers have employed impact-resistant urethane rear and lower exterior panels; rear spring bumper and energy-absorbing side bumpers; and a one-piece molded roof to eliminate leaks.
The Reach is 50 percent wider aisle than competitive vans; has sufficient interior height to give even drivers over six feet tall the ability to enter and exit the cab, and access and use the cargo area, in an upright position; has integrated entry hand rails; and has “high-visibility” steps with slip-resistant carbide tread.
Features that maximize the utility and practicality of the Reach’s body include flat, vertical side walls; available sliding cab doors; and multiple rear-door options. In addition, a choice of integrated vocational modules will give buyers the opportunity to turn the cargo area into a space virtually customized to their needs.
“The Reach will have the fit and finish of today’s high-volume cargo vans with the durability and design flexibility demanded of true professional work trucks,” said Skinner. “As a result, this new van will appeal to an enormous segment of the commercial truck market.”
The Reach will be available through the Isuzu nationwide network of 284 dealers.
For more information on Isuzu trucks, www.isuzucv.com.
