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10th
December 2007
BAJAJ
PROVIDES UPDATE ON THE LAUNCH OF THE DIRECT INJECTION AUTORICKSHAW
PERTH,
AUSTRALIA: Orbital Corporation
Limited notes that Bajaj Auto held a press conference on Saturday
December 8th to discuss the capability and future plans for the
Direct Injection gasoline Autorickshaw, now named RE GDi which was
initially launched in May this year.
Set out below is a copy of the Bajaj press
release describing the benefits of the RE GDi Autorickshaw incorporating
Orbital's Direct Injection technology.
Commenting on this press release Orbital's
CEO Rod Houston said "We are pleased to see that the first
customers have had major benefits in fuel efficiency and that Bajaj
are now clarifying some of their plans for this Direct Injection
technology."
Bajaj Press Release
Pune 8th December 2007: Bajaj Auto has
announced another break through engine technology with the launch
of the highly fuel efficient and low emission RE GDi Autorickshaw.
This vehicle incorporates the latest in Gasoline technology - the
Gasoline Direct injection engine, to achieve substantially lower
emissions than even the alternate "clean" fuel CNG vehicles.
Designed and developed by Bajaj Auto's R&D, the technology ensures
not only a cleaner environment but also delivers low operating cost
to the autorickshaw owner. Bajaj Auto presented the innovative new
GDi technology at their Corporate Headquarters in Pune today.
The benefits of this new technology are:
Emissions
The direct injection of fuel as a fine mist
controlled precisely with an Electronic Control unit (ECU) avoids
escape of unburnt fuel into the exhaust and drastically reduces
emissions. The emissions per km on the RE GDi Autorickshaw is 25%
lower Autorickshaw for HC+NOX (Hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides)
and 50% lower for CO (Carbon Monoxide) than the RE Autorickshaw
with virtually no visible smoke. Even more important the emissions
are also comparable or lower than the alternate "clean"
fuel engines using LPG/CNG.
Economy
The RE GDi delivers a substantial 33% better
fuel-efficiency than the conventional RE Autorickshaw. This is a
boon to operators in the days of rising fuel prices. The new engine
also has an electric oil pump, which is again precisely controlled
by the ECU, to deliver savings on oil consumption as well. The pilot
group of customers to whom vehicles have been sold are reporting
additional income of Rs.80-100/- per day.
Other Advantages
Other user friendly features available on the
RE GDi are:
- Electric Starter to reduce driver fatigue
- Twin headlamp for improved visibility
- A new dashboard for car like feeling
- Swing arm with anti dive link front suspension
The Engine has been tuned for strong low-end
torque to deliver 15% more torque and 25% more power for improved
drivability in congested city traffic.
Mr.R.C.Maheshwari the CEO for the commercial
vehicle business said "Alternate fuels like LPG and CNG, while
being environmentally friendly, present logistical and distribution
challenges that would take time to overcome. We have developed an
excellent alternative that runs on conventional gasoline and at
the same time generates lower emissions. With this technology being
available now, any concern of local governments, state bodies and
NGO's on gasoline autorickshaw emissions should no longer be there.
We would like to suggest to the authorities to accept GDi vehicles
in the category of environmentally friendly vehicles."
"Our R&D has developed some of the
most efficient engines in the world over with pioneering technology
breakthroughs. We have kept very aggressive targets for our Commercial
vehicle businesses and the common values that will drive the business
will be those of Innovation and offering the highest value for our
customers. We will be leaders in both businesses through Product
and Process innovations," continued Mr. R.C. Maheshwari.
Bajaj Auto currently has the widest range of
2 stroke gasoline, 2 stroke LPG, 2 stroke CNG, 4 stroke gasoline,
4 stroke LPG, 4 stroke CNG and Diesel 3-wheelers in its stable that
sell about 25,000 vehicles per month of which almost half is exported.
The GDI vehicle will be launched in a
phased manner throughout the country and the focus would be on educating
customer groups on the enormous benefits that the vehicle offers
to their earnings. After Pune, Bajaj Auto plans on launching the
vehicle in Trivandrum and Mangalore.
Forward Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based upon
management's expectations and beliefs concerning future events.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties
and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the
Company, that could cause actual results to differ materially from
such statements. Actual results and events may differ significantly
from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result
of a number of factors including, but not limited to, those detailed
from time to time in the Company's Form 20-F filings with the US
Securities and Exchange Commission. Orbital makes no undertaking
to subsequently update or revise the forward-looking statements
made in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the
date of this release.
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