Isuzu Truck has supplied Electricity NW with three of its latest N75.190 Forward 7.5t chassis cabs and these vehicles are capable of carrying all the equipment needed to provide in excess of 20 hours of continuous emergency power output, in the event of a mains power failure.
Electricity NW, providers of the electricity distribution service in the North West of England, undertook a full assessment of all 7.5t trucks currently available, and subsequently decided to acquire three new Isuzu N75 rigids for this emergency power supply service.
Fitted with Isuzu's popular Easyshift transmission, the Isuzu rigids are one of the few 7.5 tonners capable of housing two 200KVA Atlas Copco generators and associated fuel tanks which is the equipment needed by Electricity NW. These new Isuzu trucks are being used by Electricity NW to provide emergency power supplies within the rural areas of North Lakes and Cumbria.
As Graham Davies from Electricity NW explains, "In every other case, the GVW of the chassis meant that we would need a 12t truck to handle these emergency situations where we need to provide at least 20 hours of continuous power from a mobile generator. This was not the case with Isuzu. The unladen weight of the 7.5t chassis cab gives us the required payload to accommodate both the equipment and the fuel needed for us to provide up to 22.5hours of continuous power. Also, the compact footprint of the vehicle is ideal for reaching remote locations, small access roads and navigating tight country lanes where they will inevitably be expected to go."
All three vehicles were supplied to Electricity NW by Isuzu dealer Warrington Vehicle Centre and will have a working life of at least seven years, based out of depots in Kendal, Carlisle and Workington.
"The new Isuzu's have now been in service for five months and have given us complete trouble-free service, proving to be a valuable addition to our electricity supply fleet," added Graham Davies.
These are not the first Isuzu trucks in the 580-strong vehicle fleet at Electricity NW. Last year, three new Isuzu N62.150 Forward 6.2t rigids were acquired. Each of these was fitted with a bespoke body, including a gang van with on-board compressed air supply, a tipper body, and a gas cylinder carrier with taillift.
"The utility sector is a key market for Isuzu and payload at 7.5 tonnes is critical to many typical operations. The compact size of the chassis enables it to fulfil a wide variety of bespoke applications. Working closely with Electricity NW, we have been able to supply them with a range of vehicles covering a diverse mixture of operating conditions," said Keith Child,
Marketing Director, Isuzu Truck UK.