Bajaj Auto rolls out world’s first CNG-powered bike Freedom 125 at Rs 95,000

Bajaj Auto has on July 5 launched the world’s first CNG motorcycle-Freedom 125 at a starting price of Rs 95,000 (ex-showroom, India). To be available in Maharashtra and Gujarat in the first phase followed by other cities, the motorcycle can be booked at authorised Bajaj showrooms as well on its official website.

The CNG-powered  bike was unveiled by Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto, in the presence of Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari, in Pune.

“With the Bajaj Freedom, riders can reduce their operational costs by 50 percent by reducing fuel expenses compared to similar petrol-driven motorcycles,” Bajaj said while unveiling the model.

Bajaj Freedom 125 is equipped with a twin-tank setup – one for petrol and the other for CNG. The company revealed that the new model has flexible fuel options, featuring two separate switches for petrol as well as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

“Through innovation, the company has addressed the twin challenge of reducing rising fuel costs and reducing the environmental footprint from
travel,” said Rakesh Sharma, executive director, Bajaj Auto Limited.

The motorcycle runs 102 km per kg of CNG, which would result in delivering a mileage of approximately 200 kms on one full tank of CNG. It also runs on  a 2-liter petrol tank that offers over 130 km of range in case the CNG tank empties, the automaker claimed.

“Over 75 percent of 2-wheeler customers rate fuel efficiency as a key attribute. Freedom 125 is aimed at all such customers, and we invite them to ‘Ride the Change’,” added Sharma.

Bajaj Freedom 125 will be powered by a 125cc single-cylinder engine, which can run on both petrol and CNG and generates 9.5 PS of maximum power and 9.7 Nm of peak torque.

The bike also features a round LED headlamp, an LCD instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity and is offered in five colours -Ebony Black, Caribbean Blue, Cyber White, Racing Red and Pewter Grey.

There will be three variants of the Freedom CNG bike- Drum, Drum LED and Disc LED. While the Drum variant is priced at Rs 95,000, Drum LED costs Rs 1.05 lakh, and the top-end variant Disc LED will be available at Rs 1.10 Lakh (all ex-showroom, India).