Isuzu to build commercial vehicle plant in the US
According to Isuzu, it will invest around 280 million dollars in the construction of the new factory. It will be located in Greenville Country in the US state of South Carolina, spanning an area of approximately 750,000 square metres. Isuzu also expects to create some 700 new jobs by 2028.
The manufacturer points out that it is looking to “expand its business in North America by promoting local sourcing of components required for the production of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), for which demand is expected to grow over the medium to long- term.” Nevertheless, this a variable-model production system, meaning the company will manufacture battery-electric, as well as gas- and diesel-powered models, depending on the demand.
Isuzu will build N-series models with both battery-electric drive and petrol engines at the plant. The N-series are smaller trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 7.5 tonnes in Europe. However, configurations up to 9.3 tonnes are also available for the North American market. F-series trucks with diesel engines will also roll off the production line there. These are medium-duty trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 15 tonnes.
Isuzu also highlight that this will be its first production facility “to use a production line without conveyors or pits, realizing a highly-advanced line that maximizes flexibility and scalability.” Inspections will be automated using image inspections and other methods to eliminate errors, ensure the traceability of parts and keep defective products from leaving the factory.
This is not Isuzu’s first production site in the US. In September 2024, it kicked off production of the Isuzu NRR-EV electric truck cab and chassis in Charlotte, Michigan. The NRR-EV is available with four different battery pack configurations, ranging from 60 to 100, 140 or up to 180 kWh, allowing for different ranges, according to customer needs.
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