Considering Platina 100’s ARAI fuel efficiency number is 70 km/l, upcoming Bajaj CNG motorcycle can claim a figure of 80 km/kg
In the global scheme of things, OEMs are flocking towards alternative fuels to lower dependency on petrol and diesel. While a few OEMs are taking the electric route, Bajaj is exploring both electric and CNG route. The company’s upcoming CNG motorcycle has been spotted testing in India.
Bajaj CNG Motorcycle Spotted
Despite exploring EV realm with Chetak scooters, Bajaj is also investing into CNG motorcycles. This is because Bajaj is a global brand with a presence in over 70+ countries. Customers in many of these countries could benefit more from a CNG motorcycle than an EV with high up-front costs.
The same can be said about India too, which is a price-sensitive market. Recently, Bajaj Auto CEO, Rajiv Bajaj, hinted about a possible CNG motorcycle for both Indian market and international business. Bajaj CNG motorcycle spotted in India looks like it is being benchmarked against a Platina.
For starters, the whole motorcycle was camouflaged to the gills. But the main takeaway from this test mule is that it will be a commuter motorcycle. There doesn’t seem to be any other motorcycle like this in Bajaj’s global portfolio. So, this is the first time a motorcycle of this design is being developed.
We can see a small fuel tank, which might just be for aesthetics and stick to conventional motorcycle design. There is a long seat that extends almost till the bike’s rear end. This is where Bajaj has given a standard grab rail that is nothing fancy. Speaking of fancy, we can see large knuckle guards on the handlebar.
When will it launch?
Other componentry include RSU telescopic front forks, rear mono-shock setup, drum brakes on the front and rear, alloy wheels with tubeless tyres, some sort of a rear tyre hugger, halogen turn indicators and others. We can expect halogen headlights and tail lights, analog-digital combo instrument clusters and other no-frills features.
Where powertrains are concerned, upcoming Bajaj CNG motorcycle could share its engine with any of the already existing commuters. It will bear all the modifications to run on CNG, though. We’re yet to see if Bajaj is implementing a bi-fuel setup (CNG+Petrol) or a standalone CNG offering.
CNG tank may be positioned below its long seat, directly mounted on the bike’s frame. Tank capacity might go till 5 kg CNG capacity. If Bajaj claims a fuel efficiency figure of around 80 km/kg, we should expect a tank range of around 400 km. Bajaj is likely to debut this CNG motorcycle around mid-2024. We can speculate a time frame of around July 2024 and a launch on a later date.
