TVS Motor Company on Friday has launched an ethanol-powered version of its TVS Apache motorbike, called the RTR 200 Fi E100. This bike will be available in select regions of the country for a price tag of Rs 1.2 lakh (ex-showroom).
The company said the new model would be available for sale in sugarcane-producing Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, to begin with.
While there are no ethanol fueling stations in the country. But, speaking at the launch event, Nitin Gadkari, Road Transport and Highways Minister said his ministry will ask the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to open ethanol pumps across different states in the coming years.
TVS Apache is the flagship brand of TVS Motor Company and this ethanol variant of the bike was first showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo.
Ethanol is domestically produced from renewable plant sources. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, as well as safe to handle, store and transport.
Today is a historic day for the transport sector. TVS launches a motorcycle running ethanol. This fuel of new generation will reduce pollution in India and save money.Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways
When available, the company expects ethanol to cost Rs 52 to 55 for a litre, as mentioned in this Autocar report.
In order to make this fuel work in the bike, TVS had to tweak the engineering of the machine, which will make sure the performance of the bike isn’t very different from the petrol version.
Also, it’s worth noting that ethanol-powered bike will be less harmful to the environment, with its low emission concerns.
Today, the two-wheeler industry is looking at green and sustainable future mobility solutions spanning across electric, hybrid and alternate fuels. The company believes that ethanol-based products are an important option for our customersVenu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company
With the country looking at alternative fuel resources, including eyeing switching to electric, it will be intriguing to see if ethanol comes across as a reliable and a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels available right now.
(With PTI inputs)
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