Auto major Bajaj Auto has plans to launch two-stroke engines in the India market, sources said. The two-stroke engine had been a success in the past due to its higher torque (power), faster pickup and better vehicle stability due to the smaller engine.
Bajaj which made great strides in the two wheeler market through its DTSi technology has recently introduced the GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) technology in its three wheelers. Bajaj Auto claims that the emissions are lower with GDi engines.
A senior Bajaj Auto executive said, “It is a big leap in the two-stroke technology and we are working to get it on our bikes and other two-wheelers. The gasoline direct injection (GDi) engine has substantially lower emissions than even alternate clean fuels like CNG and LPG. Additionally, it has lower operating costs than four-stroke technology that currently dominates the bike market. ”
The firm presently has a market cap worth Rs. 28,255 crore, PE of 22.78, EPS of 122.57. The company had posted a net profit of Rs. 336 crore in the quarter ended September, 2007 against Rs. 319 crore for the same quarter, last year.
The stock closed on Thursday at Rs. 2795 on NSE, up by 0.44% compared with previous close of Rs. 2782. It touched an intraday high of Rs. 2800 and low of Rs. 2731.
Bajaj Auto Limited (BAL) is working on higher power bikes which will be launched under its own brand. It currently markets bikes up to 220cc and is developing a 250cc and a 300cc bike to tap the high-end domestic bike market.
The new upgrade of Pulsar is also being developed by the company. According to a company official, BAL has already approached an Europe-based motorcycle design consultancy to work out new designs for the bikes and is also taking help from its Austrian bike company, KTM, in which BAL has a stake.
BAL GM (marketing) Amit Nandi said: “The new launches are part of the long-term plan to develop bigger bikes under the Bajaj banner. We are working on that. We have the capability and technology to develop products on our own, which will be leveraged to develop products across different segments.”
Unlike Hero Honda, which is dependent on its Japanese partner Honda Motor Co for technology, Bajaj Auto has developed its own technology over the years. So the company is working on new bikes based on its patented DTSi technology and also its indigenously developed fuel injection technology.
Why is this taking such a long time? It is already on some European mopeds and on lots of large outboard motors for boats (not small outboard motors because the electronics for the injection really need a battery, not a welcome feature on small outboards). It will necessitate a separate lubrication system since the petrol does not get anywhere near the bearings. There used to be lots of Japanese 2-stroke motorcycles sold in the UK that had separate lubrication but with carburettor fuel systems, and they often suffered bearing failures if frequently used for short journeys because the un-evaporated petrol washed the oil out of the bearings when the engine was cold. This problem won't happen with the direct injection.
ReplyDeleteThe part-load efficiency of the direct-injection 2-stroke is better than that of the 4-stroke because the compression always starts from atmospheric pressure (like in a diesel engine) rather than from a partial vacuum as in a 4-stroke petrol engine on reduced throttle. The reduced fresh charge in the 2-stroke is topped up by exhaust gas from the previous cycle. This also reduces the production of nitrogen oxides. The emissions problem that a carburettor-equipped 2-stroke has is that some of the fresh air tends to get lost out of the exhaust with the exhaust gas, and if petrol has already been added some petrol also goes out of the exhaust unburned. With direct injection the petrol is not added to the air until the piston is on the compression stroke with all the ports closed.