76th Republic Day Parade: Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG Bike Makes Surprise Appearance

Indians once again came together as a nation to witness the Republic Day parade that showcases excellence in various areas like defense, agriculture, etc, via different tableaux. It was alongside one of these floats that the Bajaj Freedom 125 made a surprise appearance. The bike was being ridden alongside the tableaux of the Department of Animal Husbandry which was built around the theme, “Legacy and Development of Swarnim Bharat” and was dedicated to the indigenous cows of India. 

The Freedom 125 is the world’s first CNG bike and the fact that it came from homegrown-brand, Bajaj, showcases the engineering might and innovation of our country. It was launched last year to much fanfare, for it ushered in a very interesting proposition for commuter bikers that almost halves their running costs. The bike was well-received by the consumers and  Bajaj registered 5,000 sales of the CNG bike in just two months. What makes this achievement all the more commendable is that Bajaj had initially restricted the sales of the Freedom 125 to just Gujarat and Maharashtra. This was done as both these states had good CNG infrastructures compared to other  states. But after receiving more than 30,000 enquiries for the bike across the nation, the Chakan-based manufacturer was forced to expand sales to over 77 locations. 

Currently, the Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG is priced from ₹90,000 and tops out at ₹1.10 lakh ( both ex-showroom prices, Delhi). Apart from Bajaj, TVS also showcased the Jupiter CNG concept at the recently concluded Bharat Mobility Show.