Bajaj Chetak

Bajaj Chetak Highlights

Deliveries of the Bajaj Chetak have commenced. The electric scooter was launched at Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom Pune and Bengaluru) for the base model. It is available in two variants: Urbane and Premium, with the latter priced at Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom). The Premium model comes with a front disc whereas the Urbane gets a front drum brake. Apart from this, the differences are mostly cosmetic. Bookings for the Chetak have commenced in Pune and Bengaluru for a token amount of Rs 2,000.

This metal-bodied electric scooter stays true to the original Chetak design. It gets flared side body panels with a retro-looking front end. The headlamp and turn signals feature LED units while the instrument cluster is a fully digital LCD unit. The scooter also gets smartphone connectivity and Bajaj will offer free data for the first year. This feature uses Internet Of Things (IoT) to notify the owner in case the scooter is tampered with, or if it does not charge properly. One can also check the scooter's location, charge status, and remaining range using this feature.

There’s a single-sided swingarm that packs a 4.08kW (peak power) brushless DC motor. Maximum torque stands at 16Nm. With a 60.3Ah lithium-ion battery, the scooter offers a claimed range of 95km in Eco mode and 85km in Sport mode. It can be fully charged via a conventional 5A power socket in 5 hours, while a 25 per cent charge can be achieved in just an hour. Bajaj will provide a 3-year or 50,000km warranty on the Chetak, including the battery. Its battery life is claimed to last around 70,000km, while its service interval is set at 12,000km or one year.

Up front, the scooter features a single-sided suspension like the Vespa and the rear is likely to pack a monoshock. There’s a disc brake at the front and a drum unit at the rear. At this price, the Chetak Electric still undercuts its biggest rival, the Ather 450, by a fair margin.