New Delhi: TVS Motor Company launched India’s first ethanol-based motorcycle on Friday in line with the government’s initiative to opt for green and sustainable future mobility solutions. Among those present on the occasion were Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari and CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant. TVS Apache RTR 200 4V ethanol concept was first showcased at Auto Expo 2018 held in the national capital. TVS Apache is the flagship brand of TVS Motor Company with over 3.5 million customers across the globe. Company’s Chairman Venu Srinivasan said,
The two-wheeler industry is looking at green and sustainable future mobility solutions spanning across electric, hybrid and alternate fuels.
He said in a statement,
This is due to the easy compatibility in transition to ethanol and its sustained positive impact on the environment without compromising on performance and total cost of ownership.
Ethanol is domestically produced from renewable plant sources. It is non-toxic, biodegradable and safe to handle, store and transport. An oxygenated fuel that contains 35 per cent oxygen, ethanol reduces nitrogen oxide emissions from combustion. It helps reduce carbon monoxide emissions, particulate matter and sulphur-dioxide.
The government believes use of ethanol as a fuel will also reduce dependence on the import of petroleum and increase energy security.
आशा है कि दूसरी ऑटोमोबाइल कंपनियां भी ऐसी गाड़ियों को लॉन्च करेंगी जो कि किफायती भी हो और इको-फ्रेंडली भी। pic.twitter.com/tVE9jdyaxX
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) July 12, 2019
However, many industry leaders remain concerned by the potential repercussions of NITI Aayog’s approach of completely banning two-wheelers up to 150cc that are powered by internal combustion engines.
The government’s think-tank had asked Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and conventional two-and three-wheeler makers to suggest concrete steps towards the transition to electric mobility keeping in mind the 2025 deadline.
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.
