VANCOUVER, B.C. --- Isuzu Motors Limited of Japan has hired Westport Innovations Inc. to apply its compressed natural gas direct injection (CNG-DI) technologies on Isuzu engines and commercial vehicles. This year, Isuzu will pay Westport $1.5 million in Canadian dollars to demonstrate up to 25 percent improved fuel economy over current spark-ignited CNG engines. Westport’s CNG-DI system on a 5-liter 4-cylinder Isuzu diesel engine will meet Japan’s long-term exhaust emissions standard for 2009. Work will be performed in Isuzu and Westport engine laboratories in Japan and Canada. “Our customers will see the benefits of lower fuel costs and ultra-low exhaust emissions from these new CNG-DI technologies we are advancing with Westport,” said Masaru Odajima, executive of powertrain engineering at Isuzu in Tokyo.