Bajaj Chetak Electric to be sold through KTM showrooms

The Bajaj Chetak Electric will be the first electric vehicle that will be launched by Bajaj. This vehicle will make use of the name of an older vehicle, which is the Bajaj Chetak. Bajaj has unveiled the vehicle. The scooter uses the old name of the Bajaj Chetak. This is how they have tried to bring back the old icon to the future. Read further ahead to find out what we think about Bajaj’s plans with this vehicle

Bajaj Chetak Electric Launch

The Bajaj Chetak Electric launch is very secretive. The invite-only states the dignitaries as well as one main sentence, ‘We wrote history now we will write the future.” This means that the vehicle will be an electric vehicle and they will definitely come up with new technology. There is nothing more mentioned in the launch and the vehicle remains a secret. The Bajaj Chetak will launch under the Urbanite Name. The name chetak has been chosen deliberately to bring the connection of old Bajaj scooter Bajaj Chetak. The launch of this vehicle will take place in the month of January.

Bajaj Chetak History

The Bajaj Chetak was a scooter that was started by Bajaj in the year 1972. This vehicle was based on the Vespa Sprint. The scooter was a major hit when it was launched. It was so good that it was discontinued in 2005 when CVT scooter by Honda came in. The scooter was go to scooter for daily office goers. Reliability and affordability were its main points. With the Bajaj Chetak electric, Bajaj is going to bring back this relation of it with its customers back. This will be done in a new way by giving it an electric touch. The Bajaj Chetak was a scooter that also survived the Two-stroke ban and was also available in 4 stroke. It was geared scooter with a 150 cc engine.

Bajaj Chetak Electric Price

The price of the Bajaj Chetak Electric will be around Rs 1 lakh. This vehicle will be competing with the Ather 450. Now Bajaj being a corporate Giant can afford to drop the initial price of a vehicle to gain market penetration. This will be seen by giving lower pricing than the actual required price of the vehicle. This will push the break though point but being a trusted name in the automotive industry there is a high chance that Bajaj will set up a trend of Electric Scooters. The Price of Rs 1 lakhs might seem much if compared with combustion scooters. Bajaj will have to keep this thing in mind and offer the product with complementary goods. The price of the vehicle will raise after some time being in the market.

This scooter is expected to go to sale through KTM showrooms. Bajaj is planning to market this vehicle a bit premium over the other electric scooters. The dealer network of KTM is more premium and this will help for the same. But there arises a problem of space as Husqvarnas will also join KTM in the same showroom. There is no doubt that KTM showrooms will be much more efficient in delivering vehicles but the added responsibility will be a task for them.

Bajaj Chetak Electric Mileage

The mileage of the Bajaj Chetak Electric will be based on the distance it travels on one single charge. The vehicle has an approx range of 100 km. This range of the vehicle means that one can do 100 km on one complete charge which is enough for short rides in the city

Bajaj Chetak Electric Design

Taking a look at the leaked sketches of Bajaj Urbanite we can see the vehicle takes some clues from the old Bajaj Chetak. Being an electric scooter it will get rid of the offset engine. The wheels will be seen with a new allow design. The vehicle will be offered with a console equipped with Bluetooth. This will enable smartPhone connectivity. The vehicle will have flowy lines as seen on the leaked sketches. The design will be new in the scooter market. That will be the main attraction for the product. Another thing that the design will also include will be its versatility. This will be seen as the vehicle will be used as chassis for a combustion engine. Bajaj might also announce a new CVT scooter in tomorrow’s launch. This vehicle will be the first proper competitor by Bajaj in the scooter market after a long time.

The Bajaj Urbanite sketches that have been spied give a clear idea of the lines on the basis of which the vehicle has been designed. The engine portion is asymmetrical which is not a common sight in the electric scooter market. The rear of the vehicle integrates the lights well. There is a flow that’s seen in the overall vehicle. The vehicle will get a front glove box as well as the rear looks like it will get an external charging point. The complete design looks like it is made keeping the foresight of a Bajaj petrol engine to feature on a scooter.

Actually the sketches that have been revealed are of a BS6 scooter which might be Bajaj’s reentry in the scooter market. The sketch clearly states that the vehicle has an exhaust pipe and a fan for cooling. These are typical sightings on a combustion engine vehicle.

The front of the vehicle has a 5 sided headlight. This is a unique design. the mirrors seem to be teardrop-shaped but have been improved to give better visibility. The centrepiece of the front is separate and will be of a different colour. It gets turn indicators that are on the front panel.

The seat portion is carved and this might give the rider and Pillon some added comfort. The pillion seat might be even more comfortable. Leaked sketches of the scooter revealed a circular shape for the instrument console. We expect to see a full-digital unit, most likely with Bluetooth connectivity as a standard feature. A USB charger will also be a part of the package.

Bajaj Chetak Electric Colours

For now, 4 colours have been introduced in the vehicle. It gets a Matte Silver, Glossy Red, Creme and there will be a Brushed Gold. These colors target most of the colours of the competitors. The option of matte colours also makes it really an interesting proposition.

Bajaj Chetak Electric Motor

The Bajaj Chetak will get an electric motor with 72V / 45Ah VRLA. On a fast charger, it will get a full charge in 2 hours. The vehicle will also have a slow charging mechanism which will take charging of 6 hours. The vehicle might get a range of 200km in Eco mode. The separating point of the vehicle will be the tilt to start mechanism on the vehicle. This will automatically start the vehicle once it’s taken off the side stand and the stand is folded in. This makes it interesting and safe at the same time. Electric vehicles do not make any engine sound unless they are moving. this creates a hazard of accidentally accelerating while being parked. This new technology that Bajaj is expected to introduce will make the vehicle safe.

Bajaj Chetak Electric Competition

The Bajaj Chetak will have direct competition from the Ather 450 and the Okinawa Praise. Both these scooters are in the electric market and have been around for a long time. They are priced more than a lakh and have been people’s choice. The Bajaj Chetak will try to connect an old icon with the new futuristic technology.

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