Bajaj Auto will launch its “largest ever” Pulsar motorbike by March subsequent yr on its approach to turning into a “highly effective quantity two” participant within the premium motorbike phase, managing director Rajeev Bajaj mentioned on Tuesday.
He mentioned that the corporate has plans to introduce upgrades to 6 of the present Pulsar fashions, which fall within the mid-range vary and have engines starting from 125 cc to 200 cc, all of that are scheduled to be launched by March subsequent yr.
Because of this seven Pulsar fashions can be launched in fiscal 2024, together with six upgrades and the “bigger” mannequin.
“Now we have plans to launch the largest pulsar ever this monetary yr. Presently, the largest pulsars – the F250 and N250 – have 250cc engines… We wish to do it (launch) inside this monetary yr in order that the complete advantage of that’s The place progress and profitability can be found to us subsequent yr,” he advised a information channel in an interview.
Within the premium motorbike phase (starting from 200cc to 800cc), Royal Enfield accounted for 82.43 per cent share of gross sales volumes throughout April-August FY24, based mostly on Society of Indian Vehicle Producers information. In the meantime, Bajaj Auto, which has Dominar, Husqvarna, Pulsar F250 and Pulsar N250 in its lineup, accounted for about 10.82 per cent of the premium motorbike market throughout the identical interval.
Bajaj didn’t reveal the engine capability of the bigger pulsar.
“It’s kind of early to try this,” he famous. Within the premium phase, the place bikes are priced above Rs 1.7 lakh, Bajaj Auto bought round 8,000 items monthly.
He mentioned the corporate is able to double its home gross sales within the premium motorbike phase to fifteen,000-20,000 items monthly to grow to be a “robust quantity two” participant out there.
To reinforce its premium product vary, the corporate, in partnership with well-liked British motorbike model Triumph, launched two bikes, Triumph Pace 400 and Scrambler 400
The Pace 400 is on the market for buy, and the Scrambler 400
“Presently, Bajaj’s exports are round 10,000 items monthly (within the premium motorbike phase). With these new pulsating stars and new victories, we consider we’ll as soon as once more take the exports to fifteen,000-20,000 items monthly.”
Is the corporate planning to launch a CNG-powered bike? He replied: “As a motorbike producer, we’re at all times on the lookout for all these applied sciences. This can be a diplomatic reply I need to offer you presently.
He acknowledged that entry-level bikes (100cc engines) had been nonetheless below strain for the business however for Bajaj, it was not a “main focus space”.
He mentioned that the buyer who wished to purchase entry-level automobiles was on the backside of the pyramid and this client was probably the most affected throughout the pandemic.
He added that it was seemingly that this client was on the lookout for electrical two-wheelers reasonably than buying an entry-level inside combustion engine automobile.
“I don’t assume this client will come again within the close to future,” Bajaj famous, including that “disruptive” measures are wanted within the entry-level ICE market.
“Perhaps the CNG Bajaj (entry-level) motorbike – which cuts individuals’s operating prices by half – may very well be the answer with just a little assist from the federal government,” he added. He mentioned he has requested the federal government to scale back the GST on CNG-powered bikes to 18 per cent from 28 per cent.
The center marketplace for bikes contains bikes with engines starting from 125 to 200 cc. Bikes for this phase are priced between Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.7 lakh.
“Between now and the top of the monetary yr, and over the following six months, our new choices goal to strengthen our share on this mid-market phase.”
(Tags for translation)Bajaj Auto
