Two wheeler market is changing. It's changing too fast. Scooters are receding and bikes are making a comeback. The upgradation to new emission norms is expediting the transition in a superfast mode. So much so that every manufactacturer is putting his best foot forward which has evenly divided all stakeholders into a bitter battle.

With Hero MotoCorp, HMSI, TVS and Royal Enfield are moving ahead with FI in their bikes and scooters, Bajaj Auto's own intrepid e-carburettor developed with the able assistance of its network of suppliers including Ucal Fuel System Limited is led to cracks in the sector.

Amongst the other suppliers German auto major Bosch is the major supplier of the technology. The market is also dominated by global two-wheeler fuel injection systems brands like Magneti Marelli of Italy, which incidentally runs a local joint-venture with Hero MotoCorp, American Delphi Automotive and Japanese duo of Keihien Corporation and Mikuni. Corporation.

Speaking exclusively to ETAuto, YS Guleria said they preferred to stick to the top-end of the fuel technology and have adopted FI across its platforms. "Honda had information and was aware of the e-carburettor technology, but we made a decision to go for the FI system only. For all our models, the FI will come into play to meet the BS-VI norms and we aren't going for the e-carburettor fuel system.”

Honda has adopted its global strategy for India and gone for fuel injection which is across its range of scooter and motorcycles in the international markets to standardise its product portfolio.

Most other players of the two wheeler segment refused to participate in the story but their BS-VI product portfolio is adopting these technologies.

According to technical experts there is a pricing challenge as the companies go for FI as it is the single biggest cost to meet the BS-VI norms. This sophisticated system involves converting liquid fuel into a spray that allows faster and better combustion in the engine with minimal tailpipe emissions.

Whereas an e-carburettor is an improvised form of current petrol carburettor technology that takes fuel combustion to the next level and minimises emission to the level making the machine compatible to the highest levels. For instance the e-carburettor is able to meet the BS-VI norms that are coming in April.

Taking forward both the technologies is taking mileage to the next level which is the key for Indian market and leaving customers with better machines that are future ready. “All BS-VI machines carry the best of technology in the world with these sophisticated fuel systems that create an ideal ecosystem of air-fuel burn inside the engine chamber that is controlled by a series of costly sensors,” an technology veteran explained. “These are very sophisticated technologies that burn fuel very efficiently. Fuel injection is a renowned technology already used in cars and other vehicles. The e-carburettor has been improvised for the Indian market as an answer to meeting all futuristic fuel and emission norms.”

Bajaj has adopted e-carburettor for its entry level 100cc-125cc models and now other companies are looking for this cheaper option. Baja gains price advantage over its competitors like Hero MotoCorp that dominates the entry level 100cc market with brands like Splendor. Fuel Injection technology that globally is pegged at $ 10 billion and is growing at a CAGR of around 7 per cent for the past few years, is already part of Bajaj Auto's premium bikes.

Leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, such as Hero MotoCorp, HMSI, Royal Enfield and TVS, have all moved to FI systems and have already started selling their BS-VI vehicles - even in the mass commuter segment. The two-wheeler industry, unlike the four-wheeler, is highly cost sensitive, especially the majority of the sector, which is driven by entry-level motorcycles.

An increase of Rs 6000-8000 on these products is a significant increase and impacts demand. However, automakers have made the long-term move to shift the industry to a better technology, given its significant benefits in increasing fuel-economy, and ensuring cleaner emissions.

As the rest of the industry moved to clean technology, the Pune-based Bajaj Auto went ahead and developed an electronic-carburettor/Electronic Injection system as termed by the company. With the EI supposed to be cost efficient in comparison to FI systems, it is understandable for Bajaj Auto to opt for this technology over FI that is considered more efficient and environment-friendly.

In such a scenario, it is interesting to note that while most two-wheeler companies have decided to choose sustainability over short-term profitability, Bajaj opting for the non-efficient but cheaper e-carburettor system is likely to force others to follow suit and comprise on the emissions.

The transition to BS-VI is a giant leap for the country’s automotive sector in its journey towards a sustainable future as well as an opportunity to fast-track its image from a low-cost manufacturing base to a hub of innovation for future mobility. The FI technology is a major step towards that objective, having significant advantages over the older carburettor technology.

Despite pressure on price in a cost-conscious market, players like Hero MotoCorp, HMSI and TVS have opted for superior technology in the switch to BS-VI, which will deliver smarter efficiencies and better value in the years to come.

The fuel-injection system not only gives a superior riding experience but also yields 10 percent higher fuel-efficiency. Moving on from the cheaper and out-dated carburettor system which is non-compliant with the OBD-2 regulations, the FI system results in a slightly higher upfront cost, but more than makes up for it by savings on fuel cost over the lifetime of the bike or the scooter.

The BS-VI two-wheelers give consistent performance across varying conditions and altitudes through an exact alternative fuel mix that is precisely and electronically calculated with inputs from multiple sensors and supplied in finely atomised particles.

This ensures higher volumetric efficiency, more torque and better power, leading to smooth, jerk-free ride, sharper initial and running acceleration, while giving better fuel efficiency than e-carburettor.

The technology to comply with the BS-VI emission standards had been a major headache for most of the companies. Even for global players like Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Benelli or Piaggio the fuel injection technology has been used for years. The challenge remains how to price their products competitively with this expensive piece of technology.

“It will be difficult for the FI technology products to compete with the e-carburetor ones,” said an industry player.

Bajaj Auto has been working for years confidentially to develop the e-carburetor system and meet the stringent emission norms. It has taken years to improvise the technology for the 2020 norms. It got its important supplier UCAL Fuel System Limited to work on the technology and after years they have been able to come to the level of the FI in terms of meeting the emission norms.

Some of the companies have started the process almost a decade back. Hero MotoCorp has inked a joint-venture with Magneti Marelli of Italy to make FI systems. The company, the world’s largest bike maker, has entered into a 60:40 joint venture with Milan (Italy) headquartered Magneti Marelli for developing and manufacturing new generation fuelling systems in India in 2013.

Hero MotoCorp had also forged alliances with the US-based Erik Buell Racing LLC that went bust, Austrian engine developer AVL List GmbH and Italy’s Engines Engineering Srl to enhance its R&D capabilities. Many of these pacts were in the process to develop larger paths to meet the stringent BS-VI norms.

Similar developments were done by other companies to get the best of technology and fuel systems and it’s only time will tell how their strategies will pave the way to meet the norms and aspirations of the customers in the world's most price-sensitive market