Isuzu and the future of trucking

MANILA, Philippines — The theme of the Isuzu booth in this year’s Tokyo Motor Show is “Driving the New Age of Transport.” With Isuzu celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, it reminisces how Isuzu trucks played a major role as one of the driving forces in rebuilding Japan after the war and acknowledges how commercial transport still remains indispensable for economic growth today.

“The mission of Isuzu Motors is summarized in the phrase, ‘Truck for Life!’” exclaimed Isuzu president Masanori Katayama, during the Isuzu presentation at the 45th TMS.

And the proposals of Isuzu for addressing the various commercial vehicle challenges as we move into the future are embodied in the following feature vehicle concepts:

The ELF EV, which is a light-duty truck that has zero emissions, very low noise and vibration, and a large-capacity battery with next-generation rapid charging technology;

The Isuzu 6x6, which is an all-wheel-drive truck with single wheel tires on all the axles, and which features ground clearance and approach and departure angles that are larger than those of ordinary trucks. They have the same rough-terrain-running performance as the trucks used to transport people and goods by Japan’s Ministry of Defense—only this powerhouse is meant for civilian use.

The fascinating FD-SI Design Concept is Isuzu’s pitch as the delivery truck of the future. Intended for small package delivery, the truck mimics a honeycomb design. Interestingly, its freight space is also structured like a honeycomb, with hexagonal containers piled on top of each other to capture a good compromise between strength and storage space.

Furthermore, Isuzu also promises to continue developing clean diesel engines and natural gas trucks, as not all markets may be ready yet for mainstream vehicle electrification.