Bajaj plans CNG two-wheelers

The country's second-biggest bike maker Bajaj Auto today said it will launch CNG (compressed natural gas) and LPG (liquid petroleum gas) two-wheelers over the next 12 months while the company's four-wheel cargo vehicles would hit the roads by 2008-09.

"What we are developing is a dual-fuel two-wheeler which will, apart from CNG/LPG, will also have the option of running on petrol," Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj told reporters.

He said the product was currently under development "and we hope that it will be out in the next 12 months."

Bajaj said the company would like to see significant sales numbers from the vehicle when launched. "Obviously, we are a mass-market player," he said.

On the foray in the four-wheeler segment, he said the cargo vehicle was currently under development. "We expect it to be in the market in the next two-and-a-half years," Bajaj said.

"This is the first time we are developing a diesel engine," he said, adding that the entire research and development was being done in-house.

Asked about the tonnage and engine capacity, he said it was too early to comment on that.

Speaking about exports, he said the company expected a 33 per cent in exports this fiscal to around 3,60,000 units against last fiscal's 2,50,000 units.

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