Ritesh Madhok
After unveiling the Bajaj Chetak in Delhi on October 16 last month where the Chetak Electric Yatra was flagged off by Nitin Gadkari, the Yatra concluded November 14 in Pune. The 20 Chetaks completed 70,000kms collectively riding all the way from Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Ahmedabad - Mumbai - Goa to conclude in Pune.
The Original Chetak was more than a scooter, it pioneered the concept of personal transportation in the 1970s when it was launched. In its days, Chetak enjoyed unprecedented popularity, and even today is a collector’s item. The Chetak brand is named after Maharana Pratap Singh’s legendary horse. It kick-started a journey which took Bajaj Auto from being a 1 shop CKD scooter manufacturing unit to being the world’s favourite Indian motorcycle brand, with its presence in more than 70 countries, with ownership of Urbanite, Bajaj Auto, KTM and Husqvarna brand of motorcycles. Life has now come a full circle for the Chetak brand, and it steps into its new role.
When and where can you buy it?
The official launch of the New Chetak EV will happen in January and will be sold via the KTM dealership network in India. Initially, it will only be launched in Pune and Bangalore before expanding into other tier-1 cities. Rajeev Bajaj confirmed the price will be between Rs 1-1.5Lac
Design
Chetak’s iconic design lends the it with a beauty that transcends time. Simple lines and smooth surfaces are woven together softly to create a classic style that is distinct. In the new Chetak, this timelessness has been updated with exquisite detailing, the use of premium materials and finishes.
The new Chetak features a hypnotic horseshoe-shaped LED headlight with DRLs, feather touch-activated electronic switches and sequential scrolling LED blinkers. A large digital console intuitively displays vehicle information with crisp clarity. Moreover, fine craftsmanship is visible in the smallest of details - from handlebar grips, levers and mirrors, to the softly opening glove box and the damped seat closure mechanism
Battery and ride
At the heart of the new Chetak is an IP67 rated high-tech Lithium-Ion battery with NCA cells, the battery is easily charged using a standard household 5-15 amp electrical outlet. The on-board Intelligent Battery Management System (IBMS) controls charge and discharge seamlessly. Additionally, an elegant home-charging station is available at a nominal cost. It takes around 4-5 hrs to charge completely from 0-100% depending on the ambient temperature. The battery comes with a life-span of approx. 70,000kms before it would be due for replacement, ideally that would take 5-7 years easily.
The Chetak offers two drive modes (Eco, Sport) and a reverse assist mode to ensure that all the demands of a rider are satisfied. Regenerative braking via an intelligent braking system that converts braking heat into kinetic energy helps maximize its range. On an average, it delivers a 95km range. The Chetak comes with a standard three year or 50,000kms warranty, which means you need not worry about the issues. Also, the Chetak will come with a service interval of 15,000kms, since brake pads, tyres are the only parts that would require regular replacements.
The Chetak offers a fully-connected riding experience by virtue of being embedded with mobility solutions like data communication, security and user authentication. Every key and charging cable provided in the bike will be embedded with chips, which will allow key-less access to vehicle, and allow your charger to work only with your Chetak, and no other Chetak can be charged with it.The Chetak also features mobile connectivity and has dedicated buttons for start/pause music.
A rigid frame clad with sheet metal body panels and a tubular single-sided suspension vest the Chetak with superior strength and durability that it is famous for, making the Chetak timeless in true sense. The powertrain similarly employs a single-sided cast aluminum swingarm which also houses the traction motor that drives the wheel through a high-efficiency automated gearbox. The premium switchgear is touch activated.
Bajaj is one of the first OEM manufacturers in India, who have jumped into the EV market, taking the lead to lead India into a less polluted Electric future. Its time before Electric vehicles really have a considerable market share against Internal Combustion engines, but then Rome wasn’t built in 1 day, someone has to go out there and start building it.
KTM scooters in the making
Rajeev Bajaj also confirmed that a sportier EV scooter under KTM brand is in the making, which will soon hit the markets in coming year. The chetak platform will be the base of future KTM and Husqvarna EV scooters, which will have their own charm to woo you.
