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Isuzu has held a customer clinic to assess interest among UK operators in its hybrid truck. The 7.5-tonne Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) has been on sale in Japan for three years. Isuzu UK boss Nikki King says: "If the customers don't want it, we won't sell it here. I'm not interested in trying to sell a vehicle that isn't suitable for the marketplace." The one-day event was well attended by existing and potential buyers, as well as a four-strong contingent from Isuzu in Japan, including the truck's  designer, Shigeaki Kurita. He explains that although Isuzu is experimenting with various alternative fuels, it believes hybrid technology is best for domestic and European markets. He says there are 300 on the road in Japan, generally returning a 10-30% improvement on fuel economy over diesels. A sizeable chunk of that is attributable to the Idle-Stop system that cuts the engine when the vehicle is stationary.

Customer comments

The customers we spoke to had only positive things to say. George Nobel, purchasing and technical director at Fraikin, was among those to praise the anticipated 10-year battery life. "This means the vehicle could have a second life, which is vital when you take whole-life costs into account," he says. "It's just a matter of time before it pays for itself." Fraikin fields plenty of questions from customers keen to lower their carbon footprints. "There is so much misinformation around," Nobel says, "and we have an obligation to assess the various  technologies." Although Fraikin is also considering electric- and CNG-powered vehicles, Nobel thinks hybrid technology could well be the route it takes.

Tony Pegg, marketing and technical support at Specialist Fleet Services (SFS), believes the Isuzu is the "first user-friendly hybrid CV" he has seen. He adds it will prove particularly popular with local authorities keen to improve their green credentials. SFS sales manager Andy Meale says: "I told a potential local authority customer I was coming here today, and I will give them positive feedback." While nobody seemed perturbed by the 500kg loss in payload, everybody wanted to know how much the hybrid would cost. "We want to know what customers are prepared to pay," says King. MT has learned the HEV carries a 30% price premium in Japan. Here, Isuzu hopes the government and Transport for London (TfL) will offer financial aid to hybrid CV buyers, but King isn't holding her breath. "I am disappointed by TfL's lack of interest," she says. "It is prepared to offer incentives to petrol-hybrid car buyers, but not diesel-hybrid truck customers."

On the road

From the driver's seat, it's immediately clear how much bigger the new Forward cab is. It is only 45mm wider than its predecessor, but what a fantastic use of space. Its style is far more European, and you no longer feel as if you're wearing the interior! This cab is set to be launched across Isuzu's soon-to-be-expanded 3.5- to 18-tonne range, and we think it will be a huge success. On start-up, the HEV sounds like a regular Isuzu - it uses the familiar 150hp Euro 4 EGR diesel engine. When you start moving, the workload is shared by two lithium-ion batteries. The result is swift acceleration and a quiet driving experience.

According to Bob Morris, Isuzu's UK general manager of operations, that's partly because the cab's sound insulation is better than its predecessor's. The noise-inducing engine hatch and roof hatch have gone, too. As the speed picks up, so the electric torque fades and the diesel torque increases. By the time you are running at constant speed, the diesel motor is doing all the work, which is why there's no fuel benefit from using a hybrid vehicle on the motorway.  As you decelerate, the powerful regenerative braking kicks in and slows the truck considerably. As well as recharging the battery, this helps to reduce brake wear. When the vehicle comes to a complete standstill, the anti-idling device is activated, ensuring precious little diesel is wasted.

It restarts virtually as soon as you press the accelerator. There's even a limited hill-hold function to prevent the Isuzu from rolling backwards in the split second it takes to fire-up the engine. While the system works perfectly on most inclines, we supplemented it with the use of the handbrake on a one-in-three hill. That this truck, laden to 6.3 tonnes at the time, could even cope with such a gradient is impressive in itself. Overall, we give the hybrid the thumbs-up. But the question remains: how much will buyers be prepared to pay?