Bajaj Auto will launch its first-ever CNG-powered motorcycle today and it promises to be a capable option for daily commuting at an affordable cost.
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Bajaj Auto will launch the world’s first CNG-powered motorcycle today. Expected to be called the Bajaj Freedom 125, the bike will run on petrol but will have the option to switch to CNG or compressed natural gas at the touch of a button. While CNG-powered cars have been around for over a decade, this is the first time a CNG-powered motorcycle is coming to India, not just in India but anywhere in the world.
The launch of the Bajaj CNG motorcycle is likely to open the door for such technology to be used in more models and not only reduce fuel costs but also emissions, both of which are important for two-wheeler owners in India, where several cities repeatedly feature in the list of the world’s most polluted cities.
What is special about Bajaj CNG bike and can it bring a big change in the Indian two-wheeler market? Read the latest information related to the launch of Bajaj CNG motorcycle here:
Which car companies provide CNG-fitted vehicles in India?
While Maruti Suzuki may have the largest portfolio of CNG-powered cars, Hyundai And Bye Motor companies have also placed a big bet on this technology. While Korean companies use CNG in their cars. Grand i10 NIOS And ExeterTata Motors offers CNG on models like Tago, Tigor, Altroz And Punch,
Which was the first company to introduce factory-fitted CNG kits in India?
While CNG was used in cars coming from after-market centres, maruti suzuki Maruti was the first company to recognise the potential of an alternative fuel source. In the early 2010s, India’s largest carmaker started offering models with company-fitted CNG kits. Currently, Maruti offers its S-CNG technology in 18 of its car models.
A Brief History of Compressed Natural Gas as an Automotive Fuel
While CNG-powered vehicles may have come into the mainstream about a decade and a half ago, experiments with this fuel began as early as the World War II era. CNG was a go-to transportation fuel during the World War II days, primarily because petrol and diesel were scarce at that time. After that, attempts were made to use CNG carriers, but these were not commercially viable.
CNG did not gain widespread acceptance in the world as an automotive fuel until the 1990s. By the turn of the millennium, advances in technology allowed CNG to enter the mainstream automotive segment in many countries. Car brands began equipping vehicles with kits in the retro-fitted category.
First Publication Date: July 05, 2024, 10:10 am IST