A 100 cc bike powered by CNG fuel has been hinted at by Bajaj Auto’s Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj
Bajaj Auto has been strengthening its domestic portfolio alongside launching new motorcycles in the higher capacity segments via Triumph and KTM. In recent years, the Chakan-based manufacturer has brought in its new lineup of Pulsars such as the P150, N160, N250 and F250 and updated models in the entry-level commuter space have been coming thick and fast as well.
Following the good reception for the Triumph Speed 400, KTM’s new generation 250 Duke and 390 Duke were launched a few days ago. In a recent interaction, Bajaj Auto’s Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj confirmed that more new motorcycles are waiting in the pipeline. The current financial year will see the arrival of the “biggest Pulsar ever”.
We do expect it to be a faired supersport or a naked streetfighter, powered by a 400 cc engine. He further noted that “six significant upgrades or new Pulsars” focussing on increasing the brand’s market share in the mid-segment from 30 per cent to as much as possible will arrive this FY as Bajaj embarks on further solidifying its status.
Another interesting revelation is that a brand new 100 cc motorcycle powered by CNG fuel will also likely be introduced as he requests Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, to reduce the GST on CNG vehicles to 18 per cent. Bajaj’s market share in the 125 cc to 200 cc segment has rapidly grown in recent times to over 30 per cent and it will remain a key focus for the brand.
Rajiv Bajaj has only hinted at the possibility of a CNG motorcycle as no specific details are known just yet. Besides the host of new motorcycles, Bajaj is also working on expanding the Chetak range as new electric scooter variants could be introduced after the festive season. Bajaj is hopeful of rolling out 10,000 units of Chetak this festive season.
By the end of this financial year, Bajaj will ramp up the production of the Chetak to 15,000 to 20,000 units every month. The upcoming CNG motorcycle could use an existing nameplate or it could feature one of the multiple names recently trademarked by Bajaj.