Trailerbodybuilders 204 Isuzu Reach
Trailerbodybuilders 204 Isuzu Reach
Trailerbodybuilders 204 Isuzu Reach
Trailerbodybuilders 204 Isuzu Reach
Trailerbodybuilders 204 Isuzu Reach

Isuzu, Utilimaster Release ‘The Reach’

March 8, 2011
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. and Utilimaster, Inc., today unveiled The Reach commercial van at the National Truck Equipment Association’s 2011 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. and Utilimaster, Inc., today unveiled The Reach commercial van at the National Truck Equipment Association’s 2011 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

The commercial van—with a body designed by Utilimaster Corporation atop a rugged Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX chassis and powered by Isuzu’s legendary 3.0-liter diesel engine—will achieve 35 percent better fuel economy than a traditional commercial van application while offering the functionality of a custom-built work truck along with the styling and ergonomics of a cargo van. The Reach will offer exceptional fuel mileage and will meet the latest EPA emissions standards, while still providing true commercial truck capability and delivering a dramatically lower cost of ownership than traditional walk-in vans.

Production is scheduled to begin this summer.

“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 Shaun Skinner, executive vice president and general manager of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “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.”

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-lb. GVWR Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX chassis that has been tested and proven around the world for ruggedness and reliability. 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.

Powering the Reach is Isuzu’s state-of-the-art, biodiesel fuel compatible 4JJ1-TC 3.0-liter turbocharged engine generating 150 horsepower, 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 35 percent better mileage than traditional commercial vans. 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% 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 compliant
  • California Air Resources Board (CARB) OBD II compliant