Bajaj has recently announced that it will launch a ‘special’ product at an event named ‘Hamara Kal’ on October 16. Though the company wasn’t forthcoming with further details of the product in question, we all know that it is going to be an electric scooter.
While the brand name Urbanite has been associated with the upcoming EV, it is also being reported that the Pune-based two wheeler giant may chose to bring back one of its older iconic nameplates. The Chetak nameplate with successful history and strong nostalgia qualifies as a top candidate.
The new Bajaj e-scooter could be called as Chetak Chic. Well, we will know for sure in a few days’ time. Retail sales would commence in a phased manner with initial phase covering Pune, the company’s home town, and Bangalore, the EV hotbed of the country.
More cities are expected to be added in due course. The phased launched will allow Bajaj to fine tune its customer journey and service experience while waiting for the electric vehicle infrastructure and acceptability to spread across the country. It will also help the company manage demand-supply dynamics.
Nothing much about the Bajaj Chetak electric is known as of now save for the fact that it will adopt retro-classic styling. The camouflaged test mules also revealed generously proportioned seat, LED DRLs, digital instrument console (at least partially digital) and alloy wheels.
Given that Bajaj will be counting on benefiting from the FAME-II subsidy, it is safe to assume that the electric powertrain will be supported by a lithium-ion battery package with decent range. Reported to be developed in association with Bosch, the Bajaj e-scooter’s powertrain is expected to be at par with that of Ather 450 in terms of performance. Expect the top speed to be around 80 kmph.
Estimated to be priced around INR 1 lakh (after the subsidy), the Bajaj Chetak e-scooter will be a premium product. Services like 4G connectivity, AI, Over The Air (OTA) updates, etc., are likely to be on offer. Bajaj could also come up with leasing or subscription scheme to make its new product more appealing to prospective customers.