Isuzu unveils new B20-compatible van at truck equipment show

Ford Motor Co. might be the leader at highlighting biodiesel compatibility with B20 emblems on its 2011 Super Duty diesel trucks, but it’s certainly not the only vehicle manufacturer to do so. Isuzu Commercial Truck of America recently released a new commercial van called the Reach, and among other attributes the van will be B20 compatible. During the National Truck Equipment Association’s 2011 Work Truck show in Indianapolis, Isuzu unveiled the new line of B20 vans, telling the large crowd that each van will reduce emissions by 11 tons per year. “We believe the Reach will truly revolutionize the commercial van market,” said John Marshall, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Utilimaster, a company that helped design and build the new commercial van.

Shaun Skinner, executive vice president and general retail marketing manager for Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, spoke about the potential markets for the newly designed vans. “We believe this is a great time to be launching products like this,” he said, pointing to customer concern over cost of ownership, fuel economy and the need for sustainability, all of which are considerably enhanced with the new line. In comparison to larger commercial vehicles, Skinner noted that the growth potential for class 3, 4 or 5 vehicles such as the new Reach is “quite extraordinary.”

The van is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that has been rated to last 310,000 miles. In comparison to traditional commercial vans, independent testing concluded that the Reach is 35 percent more fuel efficient, according to Isuzu, and 81 percent of Isuzu-built diesel vehicles sold in the U.S. since 1986 are still in service today. The new Reach diesel-powered vans are set for production by mid-summer.

During the presentation to unveil the van, Utilimaster provided a short video clip illustrating all of the van’s features, and to end the clip, the van’s name was colored in green, followed by the phrase, “for sustainability.” In addition to the B20-rated vans, Isuzu will also offer alternative fuel packages for CNG and LPG engines.