Hero Honda India is in talks with a Chennai based company to supply a 400 CC diesel engine which will be fitted in the upcoming Diesel Engine powered bike by Hero Honda. Its not clear as of now whether it will be an mechanical injector based engine or CRDI Diesel Engine, but we expect that chances of a it being a CRDI is higher so as to keep up with the emission and performance needs. Although the Diesel bikes are heavier and more expansive than the Petrol engine bikes, which is why they have not been so popular in India so far, yet the technological advancements of the Diesel engines have made it feasible to make it a viable option.
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At the same time, Royal Enfield is also in talks with the same supplier for the Diesel engine and is working on a Diesel bike with a modern diesel engine. The 400CC Diesel engine is right now undergoing Homologation process at the ARAI.
Hero group is ramping up the product development of this bike and expects to launch this bike by 2013. Hero group expects to sell about 1.5 Lakh units of the Diesel bikes in the launch year.
