ANAHEIM, CA - Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. and Utilimaster, Inc. recently introduced a new commercial walk-in van at the American Truck Dealers 2010 Convention & Expo in Orlando.

The walk-in van body is designed by Utilimaster Corporation atop a heavy-duty Isuzu NPR chassis and powered by Isuzu's 3.0L diesel engine. The van will combine the functionality and design flexibility of a custom-built work truck with the styling and ergonomics of a cargo van, all while expected to achieve best-in-class fuel economy savings, meeting the latest EPA emissions standards, offering true commercial truck capability, and delivering low cost of ownership, according to Isuzu.

Prototypes are scheduled to begin rolling off the line in the third quarter of this year, with full production scheduled for the second half of 2011. According to John Marshall, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Utilimaster, the companies have worked with key customers for more than 18 months on the development process.

The van is suitable for industries and vocations, such as:

• Package delivery fleets.

• Dry cleaners and laundries.

• Contractors.

• Heating and air conditioning technicians.

• Cleaning services.

• Electricians.

• Plumbers.

• Airports.

• Moving and storage companies.

• Florists.

• Home health care providers.

• Rent-to-own outlets.

• Locksmiths.

• Food distributors.

• Lease/rental agencies.

• Appliance repair and delivery firms.

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Two wheelbases - 134 and 151 inches - and three cargo area lengths - 10, 12 and 14 feet - will be offered. All models will feature a 34-inch-wide by 74-inch-high cab door opening for easy driver ingress and egress. The cab will offer a choice of either swing or sliding doors.

In back, multiple rear door designs will allow the cargo area to be customized to the operator's needs. Options will include 270-degree twin-swing doors, twin side-sliding doors, and roll-up doors. The cargo area can offer up to 700 cubic feet of storage.

Operators will find the new commercial van to be a functional mobile office, providing enough height even for drivers more than 6 feet tall. The placement and design of instruments and controls have been simplified for ease of use and made modular for easy installation of customer-specific equipment.

The foundation of the van's body-on-frame design will be a heavy-duty Isuzu NPR commercial truck chassis with a GVWR of 12,000 pounds. The frame, front and rear axles and brakes are all proven Isuzu N-Series components.

Powering the van will be Isuzu's 4JJ1-TC engine, a turbocharged and intercooled 3.0L dual overhead cam direct-injection four-cylinder diesel that will generate approximately 150 horsepower and 282 ft.-lbs. of torque. The 4JJ1-TC engine has a 10,000-mile change interval and carries a 310,000-mile B-10 life rating, meaning 90 percent of the engines should reach 310,000 miles without requiring overhaul, according to Isuzu.

The 4JJ1-TC engine also employs a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to meet the latest and toughest emissions requirements. The SCR system injects Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) into the hot exhaust stream to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by over 85 percent, according to the manufacturers.