Bajaj Auto fast-tracks plans to launch CNG motorcycle, to arrive in next quarter
Bajaj Auto has been developing a CNG-powered motorcycle for the masses and the world’s first offering of its kind is likely to arrive as early as this year. Originally slated for launch in the 2025 calendar year, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director - Bajaj Auto, confirmed that the company has advanced the launch timeline, pushing it up as early as the next quarter.
Bajaj revealed the development in a recent interview with CNBC-TV18. He elaborated that the need for a CNG-powered motorcycle aimed to bring down the running costs of two-wheelers while also reducing tailpipe emissions. He explained that the Bajaj CNG motorcycle could have the same impact as Hero Honda did, which is to halve the cost of the fuel.
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_1614839928487_1614839938484.jpg "The Bajaj CNG motorcycle will be a world-first and will be the start of a new portfolio for the bike maker across different displacements")
Bajaj said that the fuel and operating cost reduction in its tests was about 50-65 per cent, while the emission levels were also lower compared to conventional ICE vehicles. The CNG prototype reportedly saw a reduction of 50 per cent in CO2, 75 per cent in Carbon Monoxide and about 90 per cent in non-methane hydrocarbon emissions.
Details about the maiden Bajaj CNG motorcycle continue to remain under wraps. The packaging will be a core highlight and so will the measures to deploy the technology safely. The two-wheeler giant has been tightlipped about the displacement of the CNG motorcycle. That said, Rajiv Bajaj hinted at more than one CNG bike hitting the market in the near future. While the focus will clearly be in the mass market space, the manufacturer is likely to bring CNG bikes between 100-160 cc.
Bajaj continues to grow strongly in the 125+ cc segment and its maiden CNG offering could also be a 125 cc motorcycle, giving the right mix of performance and efficiency. More details though should be available in the first quarter of FY2025.
Apart from the CNG motorcycle, Bajaj Auto is also working on introducing its biggest Pulsar yet. Rumoured to be a 400 cc offering, the Bajaj Pulsar 400 has been on the cards for a while now and has now been reportedly delayed to around April this year. We expect more details on the Pulsar 400 to unfold in the coming weeks.
