Blueprints unearthed by a US website suggest that the Indian motorcycle brand Bajaj is looking at Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative to fossil fuels and battery power.
The report, published by Ben Purvis on the Cycle News website, highlights blueprints that show a lightweight, single-cylinder machine. At first glance, there isn’t much out of the ordinary to glean, although this is not a conventional petrol-powered bike.
CNG is a widely available gas in India, and consists, predominantly, of methane. It can be used as the sole power source for a traditional internal combustion engine, or, as already happens, as a range extender for so-called ‘Dual Fuel’ engines. The big wins of CNG are that there is little difference, technically speaking, between burning it and burning traditional fossil fuels, like petrol, making CNG a viable but often overlooked replacement to fuels like petrol or diesel. It’s also a much cleaner alternative, with research suggesting that it produces less unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur oxides (SOx) and PM (particulate matter) than petrol or oil.
An example of an 'auto rickshaw' which is produced by Bajaj and already available across Asia
Specifically, the bike shown is pretty basic, and, as Purvis reports, features a single-cylinder engine which is cradled within the frame in a position which is almost parallel to the road. The reason for the engine position is to make room for the CNG fuel tank which is located where the petrol fuel tank would normally be.
CNG is not a new method of powering vehicles, and has been used for years in South America and Asia. It’s also something that Bajaj has a significant amount of experience with, as the brand already produces CNG-powered three-wheelers for the Asian market.
