Bajaj Auto is set to unveil its first ethanol-powered motorcycle in September 2024, with its market launch likely to happen within this financial year. Details of the upcoming Bajaj ethanol bike are not available at this point of time. However, speculations suggest that it might come under the Pulsar brand umbrella. This model will align with the government’s strategy of promoting greener vehicles in the country.
Ethanol, which is a renewable and non-toxic biofuel, helps reduce carbon footprints. Crops such as corn and sugarcane are fermented to produce ethanol, making it a quite economical solution in India, where more than Rs 7 crore is spent on crude oil and petroleum imports. Vehicles can run on E100 (100 percent ethanol) and E80 (a blend of 80 percent ethanol and 20 percent petrol).
The upcoming Bajaj ethanol bike is likely to be based on one of the brand’s existing models. The two-wheeler maker will likely make a few modifications to the bike’s engine to make it ethanol-compliant. Recently, Indian Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed that three ethanol pumps have already been inaugurated, and Indian Oil has committed to introducing 400 ethanol pumps in the near future. This initiative will make this greener biofuel more accessible to the public and encourage OEMs to develop new ethanol-powered products.
As a reference, TVS Motor Company introduced the Apache RTR 200 Fi E100, an ethanol-powered bike, back in 2019. However, it was later discontinued. The bike featured a 197.75cc, 4-valve, oil-cooled engine with a twin-port and twin-spray fuel injection system to resist ethanol’s corrosive nature. A few plastic and rubber components were also modified to enhance durability. It was made available only with single-channel ABS. Save for a green stripe along the bottom of its fuel tank, no other changes were made to its design and features.
