Bajaj's CNG bike sputters amid high costs and weak demand

A YEAR AFTER launching the world's first compressed natural gas (CNG) motorcycle, Bajaj Auto's bold move into the commuter segment seems to be not taking off.

- NITIN KUMAR

The Freedom 125, aimed at boosting the company's market share in the vital 100-125cc category, is struggling amid lukewarm demand, which trend analysts attribute to high pricing, weak infrastructure and uncertain policy support.

Monthly retail sales dropped to 3,684 units in April, the lowest since its July 2024 debut. Despite initial dispatches of over 67,000 units by November, cumulative retail sales have lagged at 55,585 units till April.

While Bajaj Auto declined to speak on the bike's performance and the road ahead, market analysts point to a combination of factors undermining the bike's uptake. "CNG prices, increasingly tied to global trends due to rising imports, are cutting into the Freedom's cost advantage. Limited pump access and cheaper electric alternatives only add to the drag," said Preetesh Singh, mobility specialist at NRI Consulting & Solutions.