All-electric Bajaj Chetak launched in India at Rs 1 lakh

The much anticipated all-electric Bajaj Chetak has been launched in India at Rs 1 lakh, ex-showroom. These prices are universal across Bangalore and Pune. The bookings for the electric scooter will commence by noon tomorrow, online, wherein one can choose from two variants Urbane at Rs 1 lakh and Premium at Rs 1.15 lakh with up to six colour options. The company will be offering three free services, three years warranty on 50,000km and once a year service or 12,000km.

Further, the Connected tech in the Chetak allows cloud connectivity and will come with one-year data subscription-free at the beginning. In terms of specifications, the Bajaj Chetak electric features a 3kWh battery powering 4,080W motor at peak that generates 16Nm of torque. Both the battery and the motor are IP67 rated with a charging time of five hours for 100 per cent and one hour is 25 per cent. The company promises a battery longevity of 70,000km. The Chetak charger comes complimentary with the vehicle and the installation is done by a trained technician at the customer's home.

The scooter comes in two variants: Urbane and Premium. The Urbane range has two colour options and the Premium range provides four colour options. The drivetrain for both the scooters are the same, the difference being in slight cosmetic changes and colour options with Urbane getting front drum brakes and the Premium equipped with disc brakes.

The scooter looks stunning given its retro design and is unlike any of the current scooters on sale in the country, electric scooters included. This gives the Chetak a very distinct appearance and it should also evoke a sense of nostalgia for many, especially given the design of the alloy wheels, the trailing link suspension at the front and monoshock at the rear. Of course, the curvy and flowing front apron and oval headlight (all-LED unit), the footboard design and the flared side panels remind us of Italian scooters, particularly Vespas. An interesting bit on the Chetak is the 'soft-close' storage box on the inside of the front apron, again a throwback to older, geared scooters. Intriguingly, the Chetak does not have the Bajaj name or logo anywhere at all, as Rajiv Bajaj feels the Chetak has an identity of its own. Turn indicators at both ends are tall and at the rear, they also integrate the stop lights.

The instrument cluster includes a digital display but a monochrome one. It includes the speedometer, range, odometer, battery charge status and also a display for the riding mode selected. As for the controls, Bajaj Auto has done away with conventional switches as we know them and the Chetak gets what Bajaj calls 'feather touch' activation and a 'swipe' function to actuate the turn indicators. Keyless start will be standard, another hint at the scooter's premium positioning. On the same note, we also expect the Chetak to come equipped with onboard internet connectivity as seen on new age electric scooters along with features like geofencing, location tagging and more via a dedicated smartphone app. Needless to say, the app should also offer information like charge status, range and more remotely. In keeping with its premium positioning, build quality of the Bajaj Chetak is expected to be top-notch, as Rajiv Bajaj is clear about targeting the educated, sophisticated and urban consumer. More importantly, the Chetak will be one of the only current-day scooters to use a metal body with a high-gloss paint finish to accentuate its premiumness. Moreover, if the fit-finish levels on the scooter displayed at the unveiling are anything to go by, we expect the Chetak to feel like a proper high-end product.

The battery will not be removable, unlike a lot of other electric scooters though. The Chetak will have two riding modes, Eco and Sport, and a reverse mode as well, a feature we have seen on the Ather 450, wherein you can engage what could be termed as a reverse gear. Range per charge, as indicated by Bajaj, stands at 95km in Eco mode and 85km in Sport.