- Apache RTR 200 is now ethanol friendly
- Priced at Rs 1.2 lakhs
- Available in 3 states only
TVS has become the first two-wheeler company in the country to offer an ethanol-powered motorcycle. The Apache RTR 200 Fi E100 has been launched in India at Rs 1.2 lakhs (ex-showroom), making it Rs 9000 more expensive than the petrol-powered variant.
As per the company, this Apache can also run with 20 per cent petrol and 80 per cent ethanol mix. Currently, petrol in the country gets 10 per cent ethanol, and all the petrol-powered vehicles have been using the same fuel. However, this is the first time, a two-wheeler can be operated by using only ethanol as its primary fuel. Ethanol is produced domestically from renewable plant sources like sugarcane and corn. It helps in reducing carbon monoxide and at the same time help the government import less crude oil from other countries, thus reducing the import bill.
The ethanol Apache RTR 200 is powered by the same 200cc single-cylinder fuel-injected motor. In fact, it produces the exact 21bhp and 18.1Nm of peak torque. The bike has a top-speed of 129kmph, but unfortunately, the company hasn’t disclosed the ARAI claimed fuel-efficiency.
The bike will be available only in three states – Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. However, there's not a single ethanol only petrol pumps in the country, which means, this Apache can't be operated as of now.
