Countdown Begins To Launch Of Isuzu's Cleanest Ever Truck Range



With the election now decided, an intensification of the Federal Government's efforts to reduce Australia's carbon emissions over the next decade is expected, especially with a strong 'Greens' presence in the Senate.

The Labor Party's commitment to a five per cent emissions reduction by 2020 is an ambitious one by any measure, and it can only be achieved by a concerted approach by commercial and domestic stakeholders.

Exactly what this means for the Australian trucking industry will remain unclear until a decision is made on the efficacy and nature of a mooted carbon emissions trading scheme.

While there is conjecture as to if and when such a scheme will be introduced, operators should be prepared for the impact this may have on their bottom line.

The good news is that the Australian trucking industry has been proactive in its efforts to adopt cleaner and 'greener' technology over the past 20 years.

In fact, trucks on Australian roads are among the cleanest in the world thanks to the introduction of stringent emissions control legislation, the most recent of which (ADR80/03) will come into effect on 1 January 2011.

For Isuzu Trucks, the transition to ADR80/03 and the Euro V emissions benchmark will be relatively straightforward.

Isuzu's current model range meets Euro IV standards as a minimum and requires only minor modifications to achieve a blanket Euro V rating.

All eyes are now on the forthcoming launch of Isuzu's new Euro V-compliant truck range, which will be introduced to the Australian market alongside six new truck models across the N and F Series ranges.

In the area of exhaust emissions, Isuzu's engine technology and diesel particulate diffuser (DPD) exhaust after treatment systems have been refined to suit Australian conditions over the past three years. This means Isuzu trucks will comply with the lower emissions outlined by the Euro V benchmark with a reliability that competitors may find difficult to match.

The new range launch is expected to enhance Isuzu's position of continued market dominance, secured in the face of challenging global economic conditions.

According to the official T-Mark industry data, a total of 4925 Isuzu trucks were sold as at August YTD, 2010; 2167 more units than its nearest competitor, and a 3 per cent overall increase in unit sales on the preceding year.

Isuzu's market dominance has been driven largely by its outstanding performance in the light duty truck segment, where it has recorded a 10.5 per cent volume growth for the year to August 2010, for a market segment share of over 37 per cent.

The brand has also performed well in the heavy duty truck segment, recording 3.4 per cent growth during the same period.

While sales of Isuzu's medium duty models fell by 5.3 per cent on the previous year, this figure reflects a general downturn in the medium duty segment nationwide; despite this at end of August year to date, Isuzu still held over 42 per cent of the medium duty market segment.

With the imminent launch of Isuzu's new truck range, operators can expect more of the legendary Isuzu reliability they've become accustomed to, bolstered by a suite of safety and practical enhancements.

See more about Isuzu Trucks Australia at http://www.isuzu.com.au/