- Bajaj wants to gauge the response for the Freedom 125 initially
- Portfolio and launch timeline will depend on the response
- Future CNG bikes could be bigger or smaller than the Freedom 125
Bajaj Auto will launch more CNG motorcycles based on the same platform as the Freedom. This was revealed by the brand’s Executive Director, Rakesh Sharma during one of the recent investor’s call. A similar affirmation was given by Rajiv Bajaj as well during one of the interviews in May.
This doesn’t come as a surprise since utilising a new platform to make multiple products is economical in general and Bajaj has been doing it efficiently for years. Its entire Pulsar NS series, for instance, is based on the same Perimeter-type main frame with changes to accommodate varying engine sizes, performance, etc. The company will certainly go with the same strategy for its future CNG models.
Now, how extensively the company will experiment with this platform depends on the response received by the Freedom 125, as was stated by Rajiv Bajaj. The Chakan-based brand recently commenced deliveries of the Freedom and threw open bookings of the same across India. We should soon get the data regarding the number of bookings received by the Freedom which will help us analyse its acceptance by the masses.
As of now, it’s not known whether the company will make a bigger or a smaller displacement CNG motorcycle as compared to the Freedom 125. We expect that there will be a 100-110cc iteration to take on the Hero Splendor which is currently the best-selling commuter offering. On the flip side, Bajaj might also want to give its buyers a taste of performance and frugality by introducing a bigger displacement CNG bike. Regardless, we believe the second CNG product is still far away because true challenges related to shorter range and refueling are yet to crop up. The concept of a CNG bike will be feasible over a wide geography only after the supply of CNG and the overall infrastructure improves.
