Low Cost Affordable Bajaj Chetak Incoming, Spotted On Test

Bajaj is enjoying its time at the top of the EV two-wheeler sales charts. And with the government EV subsidies running dry soon, Bajaj is planning a low cost Chetak model that is likely going to retail under ₹1 lakh (ex-showroom) without the subsidies. A test mule of the affordable Chetak was seen on test in Pune with a gaggle of Chetak 35s with temporary number plates, something that Bajaj does quite frequently.

The camouflaged scooter does have some boxy elements currently but those could be for the testing equipment mounted on the e-scooter currently. Its final form should not deviate that much from the current Chetak. The major differences, though, will be under the skin.

We expect Bajaj to compromise on the battery size. Currently, the smallest battery capacity that is offered is on the Chetak 2901, which is a 2.9 kWh battery. This battery is good for 123 km of IDC range or more realistically 90 km in the real world. We think that Bajaj might just go for a slightly smaller, around 2.5 kWh battery pack or even lower, and yet with clever tuning be able to extract a similar range figure.

The top speed of the Chetak 2901 is restricted to 63 kmph and the same is expected on this low cost Chetak as well. However, Bajaj will be able to save on the costs with a reasonably more affordable hub motor and simpler dual arm swingarm setup, thus getting rid of the highly efficient but pricier gearbox assembly.

Bajaj has also swapped the single-sided fork for a more conventional telescopic fork. However, the test unit was seen with a front disc brake setup and we are glad that Bajaj isn’t going to compromise on the safety front, even if it is offered as a variant at least.

We should expect to see more on this new affordable Chetak towards the second half of the year, hopefully during the festive period. Bajaj would want to cash in then and perhaps, stamp its authority in the electric space properly.

Image Source: BikeDekho