Bajaj Auto launches Chetak Premium 2023 Edition, ramps up production, expands network

Bajaj Auto, which entered India's electric two-wheeler market with its Chetak e-scooter in January 2020, has expanded the EV portfolio with the Chetak Premium 2023 Edition priced at Rs 151,910 (ex-showroom, Bengaluru).

Meanwhile, Bajaj Auto has reduced the price of the existing premium variant of the Chetak, which is now priced at Rs 121,933 (ex-showroom, Bengaluru). The pricing difference between the two variants is Rs 29,977, Bookings for the new Chetan Premium 2023 Edition are now open and deliveries are slated to commence in April.

In its new avatar, the Chetak gets fresh detailing, use of premium materials and three colours – Matte Coarse Grey, Matte Caribbean Blue and Satin Black. A new feature is a large, all-colour LCD console that displays vehicle information (pictured below).

Other product highlights are a two-tone seat, body-coloured rearview mirrors, a satin black grab rail and matching pillion footrest castings.  The headlamp casing, blinkers and central trim elements are now in Charcoal Black.
The Chetak Premium 2023 Edition will continue to sport an all-metal body and an efficient onboard charger along with other industry leading features.

The company has also announced progress on key initiatives in its two-wheeler EV business, signalling a change in the scale and quality of its business going forward. In a statement, Bajaj Auto has said that the “two-wheeler EV supply chain at Bajaj Auto has been restructured, and several development programs with key vendors have made significant progress. This not only assures the availability of over 10,000 units of Chetak per month but also reduces costs that will enable Chetak to be accessible to more customers.”

Over 38,000 units sold since launch

Since launch, the Bajaj Chetak is estimated to have sold a total of 38,771 units till end-January 2023. This is considerably below the 77,664 units the TVS iQube, which was also launched in January 2020, has chalked up in the Indian e-scooter market.

The Bajaj Chetak’s sales have, to some extent, been impacted by its lower 90km range on a single charge and also that it has a fewer city launch and network programme compared to TVS or other rivals. In an effort to address this and rev up sales, Bajaj Auto issued a circular last month stating that the Chetak’s claimed Indian Driving Conditions (IDC) range is set to increase by 20% to 108km. This enhanced riding range should help give the Chetak new power on the buyer front.

Network expansion underway
The Chetak EV is currently retailed in over 60 cities across India. Bajaj Auto now plans to make the e-scooter available in almost 100 stores across 85 cities by the end of March 2023. Over 40 of these stores are exclusive Experience Centres. All Chetak dealerships have exclusive service centres.

According to Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto, “Building on the robust work done on our EV supply chain, we have firmly commenced the scale-up phase. Chetak’s premium and reliable image will be further strengthened by the new Premium 2023 Edition along with new colours, the striking new display console and other exquisitely crafted features. The rapid progress of various supply chain initiatives and a secure outlook allows us to expand our network, ensure availability across it and strengthen our product portfolio to cover different segments and price points. This positions us very well to harness the opportunity unfolding for EVs.”

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