Bajaj Auto is back with a bang in the scooter space with the launch of their first electric scooter, the Chetak. Bajaj has revived the Chetak nameplate after 14 years which paved the way for this popular Indian two-wheeler manufacturer. Unlike the old scooter, the Chetak electric scooter gets a modern design and features. The manufacturer already began production of the electric scooter from September 2019. The Bajaj Chetak will rival directly against the Ather 450 when it finally launches here in January next year.
Here are the five things that you should know about the recently unveiled Bajaj Chetak EV
1. Styling
The Chetak gets a round LED headlamp integrated with a horseshoe-shaped LED DRL lamp and an apron mounted LED sideturn indicator and vertically stacked faux air vents. The scooter features a round-shaped full digital instrument cluster that promises to offer plenty of information to the rider. The rear profile of the scooter also looks neat with a perfectly positioned split-styled LED taillamp and side turn indicators.
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2. Loaded instrument cluster and backlit switchgear
Like we already mentioned above the instrument cluster is a full digital instrument cluster that gets a Bluetooth connectivity feature. The rider can connect their Smartphone via a dedicated App. The instrument cluster will display some important information like call, message notification, and turn-by-turn notification as well.
Besides all these information, the instrument cluster will also display some other vital information including- battery range, speed, service-due indicator and clock.
The Chetak also features premium looking backlit switchgear.
3. Practical and comfortable
The single-piece seat of the scooter looks well-padded and spacious for the rider and pillion. The Chetak EV also features a long footboard that will provide sufficient legroom to the rider. It also gets two small cubbyholes towards the rear of the front apron and storage space with a lid that can be locked.
4. Suspension, brakes and wheels
The suspension duties of the Chetak EV are handled by a single-sided telescopic setup at the front and a single-sided spring setup at the rear. The braking duties of the scooter are taken care by a disc brake at the front and drum brake at the rear. The scooter will also feature CBS as a standard for the safety of the rider. The Bajaj Chetak EV rides on 12-inch alloy wheels shod with 90/90 section MRF Zapper-K tyres.
5. Colour Options
Bajaj will offer a total of six colour options with the Chetak EV- blue, red, white, silver, beige and black
6. Powertrain, battery, and range
There are still no details available about the electric motor that powers the Chetak at this moment, but it will use an IP67 rated (water and dust proof) battery pack. The battery can be charged using a household 5-15 Amp electricity outlet.
The Chetak EV has two different riding modes- Eco and Sport. The electric scooter will return a range of 95 km in Eco mode and 85km in Sport mode on a single charge. It also gets regenerative braking and Intelligent Braking Management System (IBMS) that helps in controlling the charge and discharge of the battery.
7. Prices and availability
The Bajaj Chetak will be sold in a phased manner and will be available in the cities of Pune and Bengaluru first. The sales of the scooter will start from January 2020 onward.
The Bajaj Chetak EV likely to be priced at around Rs 1.25 lakhs (on-road). The Bajaj Chetak EV will be sold via the Bajaj’s Pro-biking premium dealership network.