While everybody is talking about how Tata Nano is going to eat into the two-wheeler market, a relatively small company in Delhi — Shrimankar Fuel Technologies Ltd — may provide a solution for bike and scooter manufacturers. The company provides CNG and LPG kits for vehicles and has developed CNG kits that can be used in two-wheelers. Companies like TVS and LML are already in talks while market leader Hero Honda is currently testing a CBZ Extreme fitted with a CNG kit.

“The idea for fitting CNG kits on bikes first cropped up in 2000-01 and we held successful trials in 2005-06. There are no norms for CNG bikes, but we expect them to come out with a set of rules in the next three months,” said B Shrimankar, chairman and managing director Shrimankar Fuel Technologies Ltd. “We are in talks with LML, TVS and Honda and once the norms are specified, the bikes would hit the market.”

Low running cost in exchange for minimal dip in power is what makes the proposition attractive, but CNG being a cleaner fuel also adds value to the package. “CNG bikes mean savings up to 73 per cent over petrol bikes as not only is CNG cheaper but it also ensures higher mileage. The running cost in a CNG bike is as low as 15 paisa per kilometer,” Shrimankar added. That will also restore some parity on running cost as compared to Nano’s at Rs 2.25 per kilometer.

Bike manufacturers have frequently flirted with alternate fuel technologies but with the Nano in the vicinity and environmentalists targeting two-wheelers, this area is witnessing some serious development. Bajaj has been testing bikes fitted with LPG kits since last year in in Gujarat. The company is trying to negotiate a price with suppliers before launching it on its Platina.

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