Bajaj Auto Ltd has announced a return to the scooter segment after a decade with a revival of the classic ‘Chetak’ as an electric scooter. The new Chetak will be available in two variants, with each offering a range of 85 km and 95 km respectively.
Bajaj stopped manufacturing scooters in 2009 to exclusively focus on motorcycles in the two-wheeler segment.
The company will begin selling the scooter in Pune from January onwards and later in Bengaluru. Expansion beyond this phase will depend upon the sales of the scooter in these two cities. The electric ‘Chetak’ will be sold at Bajaj’s Pro Biking dealerships which also sell KTM motorcycles.
According to Rajiv Bajaj, vehicles like scooters and three wheelers which are essential in urban spaces, will lead the way in adoption of electric vehicles.
“When we do something it’s better to come first and there is virtually no point coming second or third. It’s very important to be first to market. Scooters and step-through are a very important segment and we have not made the electric Chetak to be in the volume space. We are trying build meaningful niches with three wheelers, super bikes and electric scooters,” added Bajaj.
