Bajaj Auto took the covers off the next-generation Chetak electric scooter today. The latest avatar of the Chetak is based on a new platform and gets additional features. At present, the Chetak is available in three variants. Prices for the Chetak start at Rs 120,000 and go up to Rs 127,000 (ex-showroom, India).

The next-generation Chetak is equipped with a new frame which houses a 3.5kWh battery that is now located under the floorboard. With this Bajaj Auto claims a bigger range of 153km and the scooter also gets a 950W charger. Bajaj claims a 0-80 percent charge in just 3 hours. The company also claims the new battery is now 3kg lighter. 

Apart from this the Chetak carries forth the same equipment as the previous generation Chetak and it uses a 4kW motor. Claimed performance is similar to before with a top speed of 73kph in the top two models and 63kph in the base 3503 model.

One of the big advantages with the move to a floor-mounted battery is the liberation of more boot space. This was one of the few complaints on the old Chetak but it has been addressed here, with the new 35-litre boot being one of the biggest in the business. Wheelbase has also gone up by 25mm to 1350mm and the seat is now longer by 80mm.

The top-spec 3501 variant gets a list of new features including a TFT display with integrated maps, Bluetooth connectivity and screen mirroring. Additional features include document storage, geo fencing, theft alert and an overspeed alert feature. 

The company is offering a 3year/50,000km warranty with the new Chetak.  So far Bajaj has only announced the prices of two variants with plans of launching the base 3503 variant at a later date. Currently the Chetak competes with the likes of the TVS iQube, Ather Rizta, Ampere Nexus and Ola S1 range.

Bajaj Chetak's April-November 2024 retail sales: 174,099 units, up 184% 
Bajaj Auto is witnessing a strong run in the electric two-wheeler market this year. The company's cumulative sales of 174,909 units in January-November 2024 are up 184% on year-ago retails of 61,518 units.

This means Bajaj Auto has sold an additional 113,331 Chetaks in the past 11 months compared to January-November 2023. In comparison, TVS Motor Co has sold an additional 48,652 units YoY for the same period. When December 2024 sales are counted, Bajaj Auto will become the third EV OEM to have surpassed the 200,000 sales milestone this year. The company has been leading the sales charts in the first two weeks of December. 
(Retail sales data inputs by Ajit Dalvi)

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