Engine manufacturer Cummins and major heavy vehicle producer Isuzu have combined to launch a new 6.7 litre engine designed for Isuzu’s new medium-duty truck line-up.
The Isuzu DB6A is set to power on-highway truck applications in the Japanese and Australasian markets when it is made available later this year.
To complement Isuzu’s latest truck range, the new Cummins engine will be assembled at Isuzu’s engine plant in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture.
“This marks an important milestone for both Cummins and Isuzu, as Cummins enters the Japanese on-highway market for the first time in our 105-year history,” Cummins CEO and chair Jennifer Rumsey says.
“I’m proud of the strong partnership our two companies have built, and I’m excited to leverage our collective strength and scale to expand our impact and continue meeting the evolving needs of our customers.”
Isuzu and Cummins first signed a powertrain partnership in May 2019 to help realise the efficient development of next-generation powertrains.
The agreement included a global collaboration in the medium-duty diesel powertrain segment, with the DB6A being the first engine to be incorporated into the forward medium-duty truck as a result.
In 2022, Isuzu in North America integrated the Cummins B6.7 into its FTR and FVR trucks, with Cummins continuing to be a global leader in diesel engines.
The two companies formally unveiled the new engine with a ceremony at Isuzu’s Tochigi Plant earlier this year.
“We need to invest in both internal combustion engine and electrification to achieve carbon neutrality,” Isuzu Motors chairman and representative director Masanori Katayama says.
“I am convinced that Cummins is the best partner in such a challenging time. Isuzu and Cummins leadership has established strong mutual trust and respect of each other since the first day of our partnership.
“I am confident that our strategic partnership will continue and expand over future generations of respective leadership.”