Jakarta to have blue bajaj

JAKARTA: The current orange bajaj (motorized pedicab) will have a new competitor, the environmentally friendly blue bajaj that use either natural gas and/or gasoline.

With both the engine and the body imported from India, the blue bajaj will be assembled in Indonesia by PT. Abdi Raharja. There will be two models: one that uses gasoline only, and one that can run on both natural gas and gasoline.

At a price of Rp 27 million (US$3,214) for the gasoline- fueled bajaj and Rp 32 million for the vehicle that uses both, the new bajaj will have a 175 cc four-stroke engine.

Compared to the orange bajaj, the blue ones will require less fuel, make less noise, and may help to reduce air pollution. Ten units are already available.

The orange bajaj have two-stroke engines and run on diesel. -- JP