BAJAJ CHETAK
ELECTRIC SCOOTER
ANALYSIS REPORT
GAYATRI MALVADKAR
INTRODUCTION
■ It’s been over a year since Bajaj Auto unveiled the all-new Chetak,
resurrecting an iconic name from one of the company’s most famous
scooters. This time, though, it’s just ‘Chetak.’ So, it’s just called Chetak,
and it’s also a return to the scooter segment for Bajaj, but in electric form.
■ Bajaj Chetak Electric is available in two variants — Urbane and Premium.
■ At the launch, Bajaj Auto announced that the company started
manufacturing Chetak Electric in its factory in Chakan, Pune. The electric
scooters will initially be available in Pune and Bengaluru.
■
DESIGN
•
The Chetak electric scooter hits you as chic, trendy, and contemporary the moment you see it.
•
The headlight is LED, and it’s surrounded by a strip of LED DRL, giving it a futuristic feel. A small grille, resembling an air intake, can
be seen on the front apron, and a similar-looking scoop can be seen on the tail end.
•
The nice-looking 12-inch alloy wheels are revealed by the trailing link front suspension and single-sided swingarm.
•
There’s plenty of room under the bench, all 18 litres of it, and both the seat and the glove compartment open with a remote. The softbutton, back-lit switches are a good touch, and the Chetak seems to be a well-made, attractive scooter overall.
•
The Chetak’s best aspect is its architecture, which is almost a textbook description of a neo-retro design, with a traditional silhouette
yet futuristic elements.
•
Although there are some unique features and parts, the architecture has a familiar feel to it, and it looks a lot like a Vespa, especially
the Vespa Elettrica sold in Europe.
■
TECH AND ERGONIMICS
•
Through, Chetak app for Android and iOS offers Bluetooth connectivity. You can monitor music streaming from the left handlebar
once you’ve connected your smartphone via Bluetooth, and yeah, the LCD display also displays real-time range, state of charge, the
time, and odometer and trip metre readings. You can also use the My Chetak app to access features like vehicle location, vehicle
status, and security geo-fencing.
• The riding posture is instantly relaxing; the handlebar settles into place, and the floorboard is wide and at a reasonable height. The seat is well-padded and has ample
space to perch comfortably.
.
■
PERFORMANCE AND DYNAMICS
•
The electric motor produces approximately 3.8 kW of continuous power
(roughly 5 bhp) and 16.2 Nm of peak torque at 1400 rpm. We saw a top
speed of 70 kmph, which is more than enough to keep up with traffic in
smaller cities, but for larger cities like Mumbai or Delhi, a little more top
speed would be welcome.
•
The Chetak has a trailing link front suspension, which, considering the
absence of telescopic adjustment, offers a smooth ride over potholes,
speedbreakers, and other obstacles.
•
There are two riding modes: Eco and Sport, and although the rider can
manually pick the setting, the mode automatically switches to Sport
when the throttle is opened high in Eco mode. When the battery is low
on charge, the mode flips to Eco to increase range.
•
The battery can also be charged using a 5A household outlet, which
takes around 4-5 hours to complete. There is no quick charger available
yet, and the public charging network is limited to Bajaj Pro-Biking outlets
in Pune and Bengaluru, where the Chetak is distributed. The 3.0 kWh
lithium-ion battery pack also comes with a 3-year/50,000 km warranty.
■
PRICES AND VARIENTS
•
The Chetak electric scooter comes in two different models: Urbane and
Premium.
•
A front disc brake, metallic finishes, subtly different seat leather, and
different colors on the alloy wheels and floor mat are used in the topspec Luxury model.
•
The prices of Chetak in Pune and Bangalore is 1.42 lakh to 1.44lakh.
Engine and transmission
S
P
E
C
I
F
I
C
A
T
I
O
N
S
Electrical
Continuous Power
3800 W
Headlight
LED
Max Torque
16 Nm
Tail Light
LED
Drive Type
Hub Motor
Motor Type
BLDC
Turn Signal
Lamp
LED
Motor Power
4080 W
Range
95 km/charge
DRLs
Yes
Range (Eco Mode)
95 km/charge
LED Tail
Lights
Yes
Range (Sport
Mode)
85 km/charge
Battery Type
Starting
Remote Start,Push
Button Start
Lithiu
m Ion
Transmission
Automatic
Reverse Gear
Yes
Battery
Capacity
48 V,
60.3
Ah
Battery Ip Rating
67
Motor IP Rating
67
Low Battery
Indicator
Yes
Battery Warranty
3 Years, 50000 km
Dimension and weight
Tyres and brakes
Milage and performance
Top Speed
Braking
(60-0
Kmph)
70
kmph
2.8 mm
Kerb Weight
100 kg
Length
1970 mm
Width
745 mm
Tyre Size
Front :-90/90-12 Rear :-90/100-12
Tyre Type
Tubeless
Wheel Size
Front :-304.8 mm,Rear :-304.8 mm
Height
1145 mm
Wheels Type
Alloy
Wheelbase
N/A
Front Brake
Disc
Ground Clearance
170 mm
Rear Brake
Drum
•
A
N
A
L
Y
S
I
S
•
•
•
•
The way the lines flow in the
design, its almost poetic. There’s
such a natural flow to the whole
design.
There are a few areas that show
that there has been careful
attention to detail, but the
decision to employ a training limb
suspension of the front and a
single sided swing arm at the at
the rear is very cleaver one.
Because,
Apart from looking good looking and featurerich, the scooters ergonomics are
comfortable. Though this is an electric
scooter there's no compromise when it
comes to ergonomics.
The handle bar is nice and low, the seat is
wide and you feel like you are grabbing a
regular scooter.
When the average height person rides the
scooter, there's less space between the front
apron and the knees of the rider. Therefore,
for a tall person, riding this scooter might be
uncomfortable.
• Elements such as the
LED DRL for grille for
the frontier print and a
single piece rare
section results in a
devoid design of
unsightly panel gaps.
• The day lamps with the
integrated dynamic turn
indicators also look
great as beautiful as
the state section looks
you have to see that
there are no panels on
the either side. The
whole section here is
one unit.
■
• There’s a natural flow to the
design, an elegance to the way
the lines curve around the
primarily metal bodywork.
• The paint finish is immaculate
too and is another area where
the Chetak shines.
It’s a likable scooter in electric
shape, and it seems to be a wellbuilt, well-finished scooter with all
the technology and gizmos you’d
expect from a new-age electric
scooter. For the time being, the
biggest downside is its lack of
affordability, but this is expected to
improve in the next year or two
•
•
•
The motor is developed by Bosch and it produces 16 Newton meters of torque.
The scooter can keep up with the daily traffic quite well.
The kick down mode, the scooter senses the angle when you are climbing and
automatically switches to the sport mode. All this is possible because of the
sensing technology and the motor controller unit in the scooter.
CHARGING POINT
CURRENT / ENERGY
FLOW
STORAGE SPACE
MOTOR
LOCATION
BATTERY
LOCATION
The bulgy design of the scooter
helps to create more space for all
the parts of the scooter, along
with the storage space.
MOTOR
CONTROLLER
The seat here tapers towards the
front, allowing you to keep your feet
down quiet easily.
Place to keep the charger,
so that, it is easier to
access and doesn't occupy
space in dickey.
Imported seat cover with
beautiful stitching design
on the cover.
No panels on the either side. The
whole section here is one unit.
curvy front mud guard
A training limb suspension of the front and a
single sided swing arm at the at the rear at one
side, that puts this lovely alloy wheel at full
display on the other side.
Premium black coluor
Leather cover
Soft finish plastic handle
Metal body
One unit metal body
Front mud
guard made up
of fibre
Plastic mudguard
Strong steady footrest