Indians have a thing for CNG two-wheelers. For one reason or another, it is seen as one of the most promising alternative fuel options in the country. We saw the world’s first CNG motorcycle in the Bajaj Freedom 125 last year. Now, we see the tech carried over to the world’s first CNG scooter by TVS.
It’s a variant of the TVS Jupiter and has been unveiled at this year’s Bharat Mobility Expo in India. The Jupiter has been one of the top-selling scooters in India for quite a while, so, TVS has taken an already successful product and slapped a CNG tank to it – more or less.
The Bajaj Freedom 125 featured a dual fuel setup with a 2-kg Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tank alongside a 2-liter gasoline tank. The Jupiter takes a similar approach, with a 2-liter gasoline tank and a 1.4-kg CNG cylinder configuration.
This gasoline-CNG setup results in a combined range of 140 miles (226 km). Purely running on CNG, mileage is claimed to be 52 miles (84 km) per kilogram of CNG.
The CNG tank itself is located beneath the seat where you’d generally find storage space on most petrol-powered scooters. And because of that, one of the Jupiter 125 scooter's biggest selling points – its 33-liter under-seat storage space – isn't possible here.
The nozzle to fill up CNG is also located beneath the seat, which isn't really much of a hassle considering you have to get off the scooter to pump CNG anyway. The fuel filler cap is located as it should be, in the front apron.
There’s a button on the switch box that allows you to switch between the CNG and gasoline modes and vice versa. TVS's own eco-thrust fuel injection and intelliGO start-stop technology are all on offer too.
It is powered by an air-cooled, single-cylinder, 124.8-cc bi-fuel engine that generates 7.2 horsepower and a maximum torque of 7 lb-ft (9.4 Nm). This is a little lower than the petrol-only Jupiter 125, which makes 8.1 hp and 7.7 lb-ft (10.5 Nm). You do get a CVT automatic gearbox linked to the engine and max speed is rated at 50 mph (80.5 km/h).
It’s not just a slightly greener ride – you get a fair few extra features on the scoot. It comes equipped with a side stand indicator, an all-in-one lock, a USB charging port, and an LED headlamp. The semi-digital instrument cluster has multiple key readouts.
Apparently, the Jupiter also boasts the biggest seat in the 125-cc class. Big bum? No problem!
The cost of the petrol Jupiter 125 ranges from INR79,540 (US$918) to INR90,721 (US$1,050). The CNG-spec will likely be priced a tad higher than this.
As of now, there’s no official timeline for its commercial launch, but the end of 2025 looks like a solid possibility – although it will be only available in India.
When it is released, it will not only strengthen TVS's position as a leader in sustainable two-wheeler innovation, but it will also take on against the likes of the Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG. We should point out that CNG-powered engines still produce tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions but can cut these by around 20% compared to petrol. However, this doesn't take into account the emissions produced through the extraction, processing and distribution of CNG.
Source: via BikeDekho