The recently concluded Japan Mobility Show gave the attendees a glimpse of the general direction of the auto industry in the coming years and the future looks bright indeed as most of the participants displayed electric powered vehicles. Take Isuzu Motors Limited for example, Japan’s leading truck maker, together with UD Trucks Corporation showed the next step that the company is taking via its theme, Innovation for you – Accelerate the Future of Transport” which emphasizes Isuzu’s vision of mobility society in the future.
The futuristic corporate theme is perfectly seen in the company’s sprawling booth at the Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan where the much-awaited biennial event that showcases the latest in Japan auto industry are held. Visitors of Isuzu’s booth was transported to another world via the future tunnel courtesy of the two gigantic LCD screens facing each other directly, this tunnel is found at the entrance of the booth but the Future Cube at the end of that tunnel is even more mesmerizing as it displayed graphics that are like those seen in Hollywood movies. There is also a viewpoint, that gives a peek into a sustainable city of the future and the warehouse, the future of logistics. The products and solutions that Isuzu and UD Trucks displayed highlighted the integration of transport and innovation and this was grouped into three categories, and these are Innovation for Earth, Innovation for Society, and Innovation for Life.
The Innovation on Earth is part of Isuzu’s plan to eliminate the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) throughout the life cycle of its offerings as well as the GHG emissions from its business operations by 2050. Both Isuzu and UD are currently developing and offering products and solutions that contribute to a carbon neutral world. Overall, these can be gleaned on some of the notable future offerings of the company.
The GIGA FUEL CELL
The Fuel cell (FC) powered heavy duty truck that was on display was the result of the joint research agreement between Honda Motor Co., Ltd. And Isuzu that started in 2020. Isuzu provided the GIGA heavy-duty truck while Honda provided the Fuel Cell for the powertrain. Both Honda and Isuzu believe that Fuel Cell (FC) technology fueled by hydrogen that produces zero CO2 emissions are ideal for trucks designed to carry heavy loads over long distances and as well as long hours of operation. Isuzu is aiming at launching this futuristic heavy-duty truck in the year 2027.
ELF EV
The ELF EV is Isuzu’s first mass-produced BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) joining the lineup in conjunction with the light-duty ELF (N-Series here in the Phils.) full model change. Sharing the same platform with the current diesel line up of the company. The ELF EV comes in a wide range of model variations as well as platforms. It enables customers to start using BEV without sacrificing the convenience offered by diesel engines. Isuzu plans to market the ELF EV outside Japan in stages and hopefully we will get this variant sooner rather than later. The ELF EV represents the truck manufacturer’s goal of carbon neutrality.
ELF EVision
The EVision is another interesting concept from Isuzu, the EVision is a variant of the ELF EV and in a working product display. It showed a futuristic setup that changes the batteries of the ELF in a robotic way. Isuzu EVision solves a major problem that Electric Vehicles have nowadays, charging as most electric vehicles still needs less than an hour to at least reach 80% of battery capacity. By simply changing the batteries Isuzu showed that there is no need for charging, making the ELF EVision at par with diesel engine counterparts in productivity.
ELF Mio
The ELF Mio is an upcoming addition to the ELF series, the light-duty truck was designed so that it can be driven with a standard Japanese license. This Isuzu’s response to chronic driver shortage in Japan because of its aging population. The ELFMio boasts of being the most comfortable cabin in its classes even for tall drivers. It also has a small turning radius that promises great maneuverability. We can expect the ELFMio to find its way into the country in the coming months.
ISUZU ERGA BUS
Last but not the least is the Isuzu Erga Bus concept, the Isuzu engineer explained that this is a regular bus that drivers and passengers are accustomed to but with an EV powertrain. It is currently under development and no word on its mileage yet.