The manufacturer promises that carbon monoxide emissions will be reduced by 75% compared to a gasoline motorcycle, and that fuel costs will be reduced by 50-65%
In recent years, many proposals have been put forward to replace motorcycles with gasoline, including steam engines, hydrogen, water and batteries. Now the Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj Auto is gearing up to launch its first compact natural gas motorcycle. The new product should be presented on June 18 this year, reports A new atlas.
Compressed or compressed gas (CNG) is a normal natural gas, but very compressed (up to 1% of the original volume). Like gasoline, CNG can be used in internal combustion engines. It is stored in a cylinder tank and supplied through fuel lines to the pressure regulator. The regulator reduces the gas pressure to the desired level, after which the mixture of CNG and air enters the combustion chamber, where the spark plug ignites it.
Like liquefied natural gas (LNG), CNG is often seen as a cleaner and cheaper alternative to gasoline for vehicles. It can be found in buses, trucks, and sometimes even in cars and scooters. While CNG conversion machines are already available around the world, the upcoming CNG motorcycle from Indian company Bajaj Auto claims to be the world’s first production model.
Development of a prototype CNG motorcycle began at least last year. In November 2023, Bajaj Auto managing director Rajeev Bajaj said that the CNG prototype shows a “75 percent reduction in carbon monoxide emissions” compared to a petrol motorcycle. He also noted a reduction in high in CO₂ emissions and “almost zero” non-methane hydrocarbon content.
Cyclists can expect a 50-65% reduction in operating fuel costs. The spread of such motorcycles is therefore likely to bring substantial benefits to both the environment and the drivers’ budgets. India, with its large motorcycle market, worth $31 billion this year, is an ideal place to produce and test the new model.
Apparently, the road test prototypes started out as normal motorcycles and were then modified to run on the new fuel. In March, the website ZogWheels published a pair of photos of a camouflaged motorcycle with a ridiculously large fuel tank. It has reportedly been benchmarked head-to-head with the Bajaj Platina 110, suggesting that the CNG motorcycle’s engine displacement could be as much as 110 cc. cm.
Later that month, the RushLane portal published a few more blurry photos, along with speculation about the use of a 125 cc engine and a dual-fuel system. Some of the features that may also be mentioned include 17-inch wheels with 80/100 tubeless tires, semi-digital instrument cluster, telescopic forks at the front and monoshock at the rear, and LED headlights.
Bajaj Auto is currently keeping the details of the upcoming CNG motorcycle under wraps. It is impossible to say for sure whether the features and assembly details obtained from the “flagship” photos of the prototype will make it into the production model. Fortunately, there is not much time left before the new product is presented.
Before that, the YouTuber built a bike that runs on four omnidirectional wheels, self-balancing like a Segway, and moves in any direction. Look for this engineering marvel.
2024-05-05 13:30:54
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