Bajaj Chetak Electric
You know that the Chetak has been built by an established player the moment you start fiddling with it. Bajaj Auto are veterans of the two-wheeler industry, and that shows. The Chetak’s build quality is excellent. The fit and finish is top-notch with tight panel gaps ― and this is on a scooter owned by our reader Arian Kamra who dailys it. Everything on the scooter oozes quality except the front stowage box which houses the portable charger. That seems a bit flimsy. The Chetak looks like a modern iteration of the legendary old scooters the brand was once famous for but it also has modern elements that give it its character. And maybe that is why it has become a success for the brand.
Unlike the Ather, the Chetak has been built with comfort and a more conventional ethos in mind. It is the least sporty here and one reason for that is its fully stainless steel body. On paper the Chetak is the lightest here but in the real world it doesn’t feel like it. It doesn’t handle as sharply as its rivals and its steering feels inconsistent at low speeds. It has the best ride quality though and soaks up bumps beautifully. And accommodating two people comfortably on the Chetak isn’t a hassle courtesy of its long and wide seat. Powering the Chetak is a Bosch-sourced 5.3bhp motor that sucks juice from a 3kWh battery. That makes the Chetak the least powerful here and that reflects in the testing where it delivered.
Clearly it is the slowest of the four scooters here and even in Sport mode there is only a slight increase in the initial kick and the way the Chetak accelerates. In fact it has no Sport mode, it is activated when you twist the throttle past 50 per cent of its travel, accompanied by a
beep to tell you you’re killing range. Its regenerative braking system kicks in whenever the battery charge drops below 85 per cent and it is just as laid-back as other aspects of the scooter. It’s not too aggressive but it is the most efficient overall, as it contributes the most towards extending the range.
Upon its introduction, the Chetak’s range was class-leading at 95km in Eco mode and 85km in Sport mode. In mixed riding conditions, we squeezed out a range of 80km from the Chetak, even though it has the second biggest battery here. The ergonomics of the Chetak are very good too. It has a large floorboard and a laid-back riding posture, which again focuses on comfort. The Chetak’s Achilles heel though is its digital console that feels spartan and very basic in comparison to its rivals; it is also not very easy to read in harsh sunlight. Moving to the switchgear, the Chetak’s buttons feel nice but quirks such as individual indicator buttons on both sides need some time getting used to. Its far-set mirrors though offer a very good view of the traffic you’re leaving behind.
Available in two variants, with prices starting at `1.42 lakh for the Premium, the Chetak is the most expensive scooter here after FAME II incentives. But we know there is an update coming, in fact during this very test we stumbled upon two test mules undergoing final validation. We hope the update will have more power, an updated instrument cluster and more competitive pricing, and that will be a clear signal from the legacy manufacturers that they aren’t going to let the start-ups have their own way in the EV space.
POWERING THE CHETAK IS A 5.3BHP BOSCH MOTOR