Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) in association with Eco Fuel (the Indian partner of Lovato, Italy) ushered in a green new year by launching CNG-fuelled two-wheelers. The green two-wheelers were launched by the Union minister of state (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, in Mumbai, along with Vinod Tawde, Minister for Education, Youth, Sports & Cultural Affairs and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban, government of Maharashtra. Dharmendra Pradhan also launched an e-wallet payment facility which can be used at the time of filling CNG.
Other dignitaries present at the event included Poonam Mahajan, MLA; Trupti Prakash Sawant; Rajesh Pandey, director, MNGL; BC Tripathi, chairman and MD, GAIL (India); and Rajeev Mathur, MD, MGL.
According to Pradhan, CNG-fuelled two wheelers offer an opportunity to over 3.6 million two-wheelers running in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to opt for this eco-friendly fuel. The past few years have seen CNG-powered vehicles log a growth of over 70 percent CAGR in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The two-wheeler CNG kit comprises two CNG cylinders of 1.2kg each. A CNG-fuelled two-wheeler is estimated to clock up to 120–130km per kg at an approximate cost of Rs 0.60 per kilometre for a single fill and is substantially economical as compared to a similar petrol-run vehicle at current prices. In the initial phase, the scooters are to be retrofitted with a CNG kit manufactured by Lovato.
At present, two kit manufacturers – ITUK and Lovato – have received approval from ARAI, Pune and ICAT Gurgaon respectively for their CNG kits. Lovato has received approval for CNG kit fitment on 18 scooter models from various manufacturers. It is understood that, considering the huge potential of this segment, other CNG kit makers are also planning to enter this market.
The initial programme for CNG-fuelled two-wheelers was launched in June 2016 by Dharmendra Pradhan and Prakash Javadekar, then Environment Minister, and involved 50 CNG retrofitted two-wheelers. It was implemented by Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and one of its parent companies, GAIL (India),
Salient features of a two-wheeler CNG kit
- CNG Cylinders: 2 cylinders, each with capacity of 5 litres of water
- One filling of CNG: 1.2Kg (0.6kg in each cylinder)
- Mileage on CNG: Average 90km/kg and 110km per fill
- Operating cost: 60 paise per kilometres (approximately)