All about Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter
The Bajaj Chetak literally kickstarted the two-wheeled revolution in India. At the time when it was introduced, the country needed a cheap mode of mass-transportation which was personal and this Vespa-lookalike catered to that demand in the time of need. Named after the legendary horse of an equally legendary warrior Maharana Pratap, the Bajaj Chetak Scooter had an immensely successful run before production stopped in 2006.
For more than two decades, Bajaj had pulled the plug on its scooter business to concentrate on the motorcycle market. The company did well, however, the vacuum left by Bajaj’s scooters was fast filled by a gearless Activa from Honda, which then went on to become the highest-selling scooter in India. So much so, many times, its sales figures have been higher than the best-selling motorcycle in India.
Fast forward to 2020, Bajaj Auto is back in the scooter game and it has returned with the legend. The Bajaj Chetak electric is the first and new electric scooter from the manufacturer and it is now available at dealerships. New Electric scooters in India might still not be as popular as their ICE-powered counterparts; however, as the adoption of electric vehicles increases, it won’t be long before these battery-powered machines take over.
Bajaj Chetak Electric Price
The Bajaj Chetak electric is available in two variants – Urbane and Premium. The former’s price in India is INR 1 lakh ex-showroom, while the more premium version is available at INR 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom). These Electric scooters in India are only available in Bangalore and Pune as of now and city-wise availability will increase in the coming times according to demand. When that happens, the Bajaj scooter price list could differ from region-to-region depending on the FAME II scheme benefits announced by that particular state’s Government.
Bajaj Chetak Electric Specifications
The electric Chetak is powered by an electric motor which generates 3.8kW/4.08kW (continuous/peak power) and 16Nm of torque. The IP-67 rated powertrain is fed by a 3kWh Li-ion battery which is also rated for the same level of environmental protection as the motor. The system allows the Bajaj Chetak Electric to hit a top speed of 60 kmph and two riding modes are on offer – Eco and Sport.
Compared to a petrol-powered scooter, Bajaj Chetak Electric specifications are different in terms of power and certain other things. When it comes to charging, the battery is a fixed unit and cannot be removed to be charged separately. It doesn’t support fast charging and via a complimentary home charger and onboard cable, it can be plugged in for 25% power to be recharged in 1 hour. For a full charge, the unit takes approximately 5 hours. For the battery and the scooter, Bajaj offers a 3-year standard warranty.
Bajaj Chetak Mileage
Bajaj Chetak Mileage is the range which replaces kilometres per litre and the Bajaj Chetak Electric can travel 95+ kms in Eco mode and 85+ km in Sport Mode.
Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter Booking
Bajaj Auto accepts Bajaj Chetak booking on its website. As of today, Bajaj Chetak Electric scooter bookings are closed though as the company wishes to localize components which were earlier sourced from China. The current situation between India and China along with changing geopolitical equations after the pandemic is the reason many manufacturers are now looking at alternatives to what was once the world’s factory and sourcing place and Bajaj Auto is no different. Registrations are open on the scooter’s website though and one can enter a few details and wait in a queue.
Bajaj Chetak Colours
For the Urbane version, the electric Chetak is offered in two colours – Lime yellow and pearl white. On the other hand, the Premium version is offered in shades of Pearl, Red, Black and Blue. These colours do well to highlight the retro-modern appearance of the Chetak which is a clean and elegant, yet, modern design. Underneath, the scooter has been constructed using a solid steel frame and a hardy sheet metal body
Bajaj Chetak Features
The Bajaj Chetak has been fitted with LEDs for illumination all around. It also gets feather touch-activated electronic switches, sequentially scrolling LED blinker, a large digital instrument console and a GPS location system to protect against theft and receive notifications in case of an accident or unauthorized access. Apart from all these features, the other important features available in the scooter are reverse assist, regenerative braking and fully-connected riding experience. The Chetak also gets a front disc brake which helps the scooter to stop from 60kmph to a standstill in 2.8metres. Like most electric vehicles, it also comes fitted with a reverse gear to assist the rider when pushing it behind out of a parking spot.
Bajaj Chetak Parts and Service
Since the scooter uses fewer mechanical components in comparison to something powered by an internal combustion engine, service costs and Bajaj Chetak parts replacement will most certainly be easy on the pocket. There won’t be any engine oil or various filters to be changed. If you’re wondering about any Bajaj chetak accessories you can buy like one could for the original, the answer to that as of now is, No! Unlike the chrome-finished side guard among other things which were available for the original, the Bajaj Chetak electric is only available in two cities and isn’t popular yet for the accessories industry to get to work for Bajaj Chetak accessories.
Future Bajaj Electric Scooters
Bajaj Auto has stopped accepting Bajaj Chetak bookings as it is focusing on localizing components which had to be imported from China. Such initiatives require a substantial investment from the manufacturer. Also, for suppliers and partners, there must be enough projection of scale for them to make tweaks to their processes and facilities, which in turn requires spending. All of it points towards the direction that the Bajaj Electric Scooters won’t most certainly be the first and the last all-electric Bajaj two-wheeler.
The electric two-wheeler industry is still at a nascent stage in India and as charging infrastructure and battery technology improves, these earth-hugging machines will find more owners and it will be by that time when we should be able to see a range of new Bajaj Electric products powered by electricity. Whether these will be motorcycles or scooters only time will tell. However, it should be a mix of both as Bajaj Auto would like to capitalize on this reset in the field of mobility and regain the ground it lost to the likes of Honda after exiting the scooter business altogether