With the Bajaj Freedom 125, India has leapfrogged the electric hype, delivering the world’s first mass-production CNG motorcycle – cleaner, cheaper and already on the road
The pursuit of alternative ways to cut vehicle emissions other than via electricity – complete with its issues of generation, storage and delivery – has lately seen a surge in focus on hydrogen. This, being a gas, can be transported to and stored at suitable sites for customers to fuel up as quickly and conveniently as we currently do with petrol or diesel. The fact that Toyota and BMW announced in September 2024 that they’ve joined forces to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles demonstrates the significance of this strategy. BMW is also planning to launch a hydrogen-fuelled series production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2028, which will offer customers an all-electric powertrain option with zero local emissions. It is already road testing them in a fleet of modified X-Series cars. But even they are late to the party, for Toyota’s own FCEV hydrogen sedan, the Mirai, just began its 10th year of production.
In both of these cases, hydrogen represents a more convenient, practical power source, without any powerlines or remote chargers muddying the ecological waters. That’s not the same as using liquid hydrogen gas, whose only emission is water, as the fuel to power an internal combustion engine, the goal of the joint venture announced in May 2023 between all four of Japan’s motorcycle manufacturers. Its aim is to develop hydrogen-fuelled engines to equip a future range of zero emission (well, besides water) two-wheelers, with the first such motorcycle already unveiled by Kawasaki at the Suzuka 8 Hours in July 2024 in the form of a hydrogen-fuelled bike based on its supercharged Ninja H2 – yes, folks, an H2-powered H2! Its 998cc four-cylinder engine had been modified to allow direct injection of liquid hydrogen fuel into the cylinders, similar to its petrol-fuelled equivalent, while the chassis was designed to accommodate hydrogen fuel canisters, providing an on-board supply system. These were very bulky, heavy and downright unsightly, because the major drawback of hydrogen power is that the storage of hydrogen gas requires lots of space; liquid hydrogen contains only 25 per cent as much energy per volume as petrol, so if a motorcycle like the Ninja H2 has a 20-litre petrol tank, it will require an 80-litre cell to carry an equivalent amount of energy in the form of liquid hydrogen. Hmmm….
However, exactly 15 days before Kawasaki first demonstrated its hydrogen-fuelled prototype in public at Suzuka, the world’s first mass-production motorcycle running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) was unveiled in India, with the first delivery of a Bajaj Freedom 125 to its eager owner taking place on 16 July in Pune, where the bike was developed. Since then, Bajaj ramped up production of the model to 40,000 units per month from January onwards to customers in the 350 towns across India in which CNG is readily available. So, while Japan’s big four are working on projects to develop hydrogen-fuelled motorcycles for production in the future, India’s Bajaj has focused instead on a different gas, and beaten them to mass production with its CNG-fuelled Freedom 125.
COOKING WITH GAS
Best known abroad for its partnership with the currently deeply troubled KTM, Bajaj Auto is India’s second largest motorcycle manufacturer, with 3,598,829 machines built in the 2024 financial year in its five factories across the country. Besides KTM, it’s also in a joint venture partnership with Triumph Motorcycles, and Bajaj reports that it sold over 40,000 Triumph 400s in India in FY 2024, and 64,886 KTMs. That’s out of a total of 2,121,491 Bajaj sales in India in FY 2024. An ever-increasing number of these machines are the CNG-powered Freedom 125, which offers a major reduction in both operating costs and emissions compared to equivalent petrol-powered bikes. It’s available in seven colour schemes spread across three variants: Freedom 125 Drum, Freedom 125 Drum LED and Freedom 125 Disc LED.
The base variant features drum brakes, while the higher-end model sports a disc brake in the front and an LED headlamp. Prices start at 95,000 rupees (around $A1760) up to 110,000 rupees ($A2040) for the 125 Disc LED.
Waiting time after placing an order is currently three months, which a massive increase in production at its Aurangabad plant, 200km northeast of Pune, is aimed at reducing. That starting price for the Freedom 125 is the same as for the costliest version of the Bajaj Pulsar 125, the company’s core petrol-engined model, albeit with its entry level price for the stripped-down version quite a bit less at 81,400 rupees ($A1500).
According to Rakesh Sharma, Bajaj Auto’s Executive Director – who is effectively Chairman Rajiv Bajaj’s righthand man and No.2 in the company – the Freedom 125 targets commuters, India’s most popular motorcycle segment. It features bi-fuel petrol backup to remove any range anxiety, distinct styling including a much larger, longer seat, a USB charging port, and an LCD digital instrument cluster which comes with Bluetooth connectivity offering calls and text alerts.
The Freedom 125 is powered by an air-cooled 125cc SOHC four-stroke single-cylinder engine measuring 54mm x 54.5mm. It produces 7kW (9.5hp) at 8000rpm and 9.7Nm of torque at 5000rpm, with a near-horizontal cylinder and five-speed gearbox. While it’s purpose-made to run on CNG housed in the 12.5L/2kg cylindrical fuel cell under the seat, it also features an auxiliary petrol tank able to carry two 2L of fuel as a range extender, to ensure riders aren’t stranded in areas where CNG isn’t widely available.
The company claims a frugal 67km per litre on petrol for the Freedom 125, but the real game-changer lies in the CNG mode. With a claimed mileage of 102km/kg, this translates to a potential combined range of 338km on full tanks.
But the key selling point for this true bi-fuel hybrid is its fuel efficiency – the No.1 issue for the vast majority of Indian riders. This is mainly derived from the significantly lower price of CNG versus petrol – which is mainly locally sourced and therefore not subject to the same global cost fluctuations and import duties as petrol. This allows Bajaj to claim that the Freedom 125 offers up to 50 per cent lower running costs compared to its petrol-only counterparts.
That low cost also explains why an increasing number of three-wheeler Auto Rickshaws – known as Tuk-Tuks to many Western tourists – are CNG-powered in India; over 691,000 were sold in FY2024, up 42 per cent over the previous year, with more than half of those CNG-powered. Bajaj Auto is the clear global market leader in this segment, with a 67 per cent slice of the entire Indian three-wheeler market in FY2024, which made adopting the same CNG technology on two wheels a no-brainer. As the majority of these three-wheelers are taxis or delivery vehicles, this has stimulated a rapid expansion of the CNG refuelling network. But while CNG can be used by conventional petrol-fuelled ICE motors with a few modifications, Bajaj has developed the Freedom 125 from a clean sheet to be CNG-powered, essentially to take advantage of what amounts to a fiscal opportunity, meaning its customers pay less tax.
CLEANER AND GREENER
On my visit to Bajaj Auto’s vast and very impressive R&D Centre in Akurdi, just outside Pune, I was shown the prototype versions with clear plastic mouldings, revealing the Freedom 125’s 2L petrol tank to be cleverly wrapped around the right forward section of the gas cylinder, while the airbox is sculpted to fit around the left front of it. The petrol adds another 134km of range to the 204km from the 12.5L/2kg CNG load. This is compressed to 2000psi and stored in a 160mm-wide cylinder roughly the same shape and size as a scuba diving tank. It sits lengthwise within the purpose-designed tubular steel trellis frame with a monoshock rear end and progressive rate link operating the non-adjustable rear shock, running beneath the 785mm-long extended seat. At 825mm tall, this is a little higher than on equivalent petrol-engined models owing to the gas cylinder under it, but it’s also longer than most since there’s no need for a large fuel tank up front. That extra seat length will be a selling point in India, for while there are only two sets of footrests, it has space for three full-size adults; despite laws banning more than two riders, it’s common to see more on a bike, as well as children sitting in front of their parents.
CNG is mainly composed of methane. It can readily be sourced either as a fossil fuel from the ground, or manufactured as a bio-gas from waste. Even when burned in fossil-fuel form it generates far less CO2 than petrol. It’s also much easier than hydrogen to use with a conventional engine designed to run on petrol, and is also more readily sourced and easier to store, while offering a reduction in emissions and lower running costs compared to current conventional fuels. It’s still a hydrocarbon fuel, so doesn’t offer the same net zero environmental benefits at the point of use as hydrogen, as CNG produces CO2 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. But the combustion process alone offers a 26.7 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions versus petrol. Additionally, CNG vehicles emit 85 per cent lower non-methane hydrocarbons and 43 per cent less NOx. Bio-CNG is greener still, leading to an overall carbon footprint around 85 per cent less than a conventional liquid fossil fuel like petrol.
Besides its long range, the bi-fuel Freedom 125 has the advantage of rapid refuelling. Besides a quick squirt to fill up the 2L petrol tank, the CNG cylinder can be filled from empty in around two minutes, via a nozzle next to the petrol filler – a significant advantage over electricity, quite apart from those generation and storage issues for electric current.
MUMBAI MADNESS
I had two chances to experience riding the Freedom 125 for myself, and the first came in Mumbai last August. After half an hour zooming around the colonial buildings in the city centre, I was sufficiently impressed to want to know more about this remarkable design. So, later in the year on a visit to Bajaj Auto’s Chakan HQ, I was able to spend longer aboard the Freedom 125 in the Pune morning rush hour. Believe me, until you’ve experienced it, nothing compares with Indian city road conditions at almost any time of the day in terms of stress, risk and urban warfare conducted in a uniquely fatalistic manner. Everyone’s supposed to wear a helmet, but almost nobody does – as much as anything because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to conduct a conversation via your iPhone clamped to your ear by your shoulder, while navigating the narrow line between defiance and submission in sharing the highway with other road users, whose outcome is generally based on size. Oh – and did I forget to tell you it had been raining?
The slightly taller-than-average 825mm-high Freedom seat is spacious and comfortable for a 180cm rider, with the pulled back handlebar delivering a relaxed riding stance. Steering is light, as you might expect with the 90/80-17 front tyre matched to a 120/70-16 rear, chosen to help compensate for the higher seat. But even with the short 1340mm wheelbase the handling wasn’t unduly skittish or nervous, even on the slippery roads left by the morning shower.
Despite its diminutive size it was a confidence-inspiring bike to ride, aided by the surprisingly large 240mm single front disc brake – Bajaj obviously wasn’t going to skimp on stopping power on a bike with a kerb weight of 149kg, which is 9kg more than the Pulsar 125 petrol model, both fitted with a sari guard. This front brake worked well even without using the much less effective 130mm rear SLS drum, indicating that the right pad material had been chosen. The extra performance to come with the 150/180cc CNG versions that are understood to be under development won’t overwhelm this platform.
The little 125cc engine is eager but quiet, firing up easily via the electric starter and settling to a very subdued idle despite being air-cooled. You can hardly hear it running at rest and there are minimal vibes. Rakesh Sharma’s stated intent to convey a sense of inbuilt quality to the bike has certainly been achieved. It has a zestful throttle response which, coupled with the good leverage from the wide handlebar, lets you duck and dive with the best of the homegrown local traffic aces. It’s fun to ride, as well as practical.
The LED dash keeps you in the picture with a DTE reading for whichever fuel you’re using, and switching between petrol and CNG can be done on the fly by flicking a button on the left switchblock. There’s a momentary hesitancy but it’s so minor as to be negligible. It’s a pretty seamless switchover and there’s no discernible difference in performance between either fuel.
But when the time comes to refuel, be prepared for a modicum of hassle, as you ride past the long line of Auto Rickshaws awaiting their turn at the solitary CNG pump at a pretty large city centre service station. You’ll be waved away by the station staff as they try to direct you to the petrol pumps, in which case the only thing to do is to park up, hop off and unlock the seat to show them the gas cylinder. Shock! Horror! Doing that will inevitably summon the massed ranks of rickshaw drivers to come and gape at this clever adaptation of the tech powering their three-wheeled conveyance. I’m afraid my Hindi is non-existent so I couldn’t answer any of their questions. One guy’s reaction said it all, though, after he spotted the Bajaj Auto badge on the side of the motor. “Bajaj very clever!” he cried, tapping the side of his head. Indeed so!
BOOM OR BUST?
In order to allay any inevitable concerns on the part of potential customers about wrapping their legs around a potentially explosive high-pressure fuel cell, Bajaj has paid substantial attention to protecting the CNG tank. The Freedom’s tubular steel trellis frame is designed to create a robust cage around it, and there have been 11 well-documented crash tests, including drop tests and front and side impacts. All this confirms the CNG tank won’t rupture, remains intact within the trellis frame and its gas valve remains firmly attached. One test involved a 10-tonne truck running over a Freedom 125. The result? The bike was bent out of shape but there were no visible scratches or dents on the CNG tank. Above all there were no leaks or explosion – and the pressure gauge showed there was gas still inside!
But after all that – so what? Is the Freedom 125 just a cleverly concocted means of circumventing India’s byzantine tax code in providing everyday transportation at reduced cost for Bajaj Auto’s customers? Or does it demonstrate a real alternative to other technologies and fuels in reducing – but not eliminating – global emissions, which offers genuine environmental benefits and is both practical and easy to use? And is CNG a fuel suitable only for low-performance urban use, or can it be used to power larger capacity ICE engines over greater distances than commutes?
Well, proof of functionality was provided as long ago as 2011, when American motorcycle designer JT Nesbitt, creator of such innovative two-wheeled devices as the Confederate Wraith, Bienville Legacy and Curtiss One, built the Magnolia Special Roadster car. It was powered by a highly modified 4.2-litre Jaguar XK inline-six ICE engine fitted with 12.5:1 compression pistons and high-lift, short-duration camshafts.
Powered by CNG, Nesbitt drove it from New York to LA – a 4500km journey which took t 89 hours via existing CNG fill-up stations. The car didn’t skip a beat and never ran out of gas – literally! This clearly demonstrates that CNG is a practical everyday fuel – a finding backed up by the huge commercial success of the Bajaj Freedom 125.
Indeed, the creation of the Bajaj Freedom 125 demonstrates that CNG is clearly a viable alternative fuel for all ICE powered vehicles, and is arguably a more practical solution than hydrogen-powered or even electric vehicles, particularly if bio-CNG is used as the fuel. The problem it will inevitably face in its more widespread adoption will be resistance by the Net Zero absolutists.
PROS – While Euro manufacturers dither with alternative fuels, lateral thinking has solved a major problem in India
CONS – Naysayers will inevitably pour scorn on the idea of riding around on a tank of CNG
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Capacity 125cc, air-cooled single
Power 7kW (9.5hp) @ 8000rpm
Torque 9.7Nm @ 5000rpm
Bore x stroke 54mm x 54.4mm
CHASSIS
Frame type Tubular steel trellis
Wheelbase 1340mm
Seat height 825mm
Curb weight 149kg
SUSPENSION
Front Conventional telescopic, non-adjustable
Rear Monoshock with linkages
WHEELS & BRAKES
Tyre sizes Front 90/80 x 17in, Rear 120/70 x 16in
Brakes Front (mm) 240 Disc, Rear (mm) 130 Drum
FUEL
CNG capacity 12.5L/2kg
Petrol capacity 2L
Claimed range 338km using both CNG and petrol (can switch on the fly)
PRICE
Disc LED 110,000 rupees ($A2040)
Drum LED 105,000 rupees ($A1945)
Drum 95,000 rupees ($A1760)
Models not available for sale in Australia
