New Bajaj Chetak With Hub Motor To Be Launched On January 14

The Bajaj Chetak family is set to grow this month, with the launch of a new derivative confirmed for January 14. Providing a glimpse of the new electric scooter, Bajaj Auto has announced it will roll out this new model next week, and the image reveals the horizontal LED tail-light, which is notably different from the standard Chetak's vertically-oriented tail-lights. The new Chetak scooter, which is likely to bear a suffix to differentiate it from the regular Chetak, is expected to be positioned at the budget end of the electric scooter market, to take on the likes of the TVS Orbiter and Vida VX2.

Also Read: New Bajaj Chetak Spotted Ahead Of Launch

New Bajaj Chetak With Hub Motor: What We Know So Far

Recent spy shots have confirmed a number of key details about the newest addition to the Chetak family. This scooter, while still related to the regular Chetak, will have more compact dimensions and tighter bodywork, with a sharpened focus on practicality.

The new Chetak scooter will employ a large, flat seat – unlike the stepped seat seen on the regular Chetak – and is expected to feature a simple LCD dashboard. It will house a conventional key slot, and an open glove compartment.

More interestingly, Bajaj will venture into a new direction with the mechanicals. This will be the first Chetak to feature an in-wheel hub motor, unlike the regular Chetak, which has always used a swingarm-mounted direct-drive motor. Hub motors are usually more cost-effective, but are less efficient than mid-drive motors, and bring reliability and durability concerns.

Also Read: Mid-Mounted Motor vs Hub Motor: Key Differences India’s Electric Scooter Buyers Should Know

Also confirmed in the spyshots is the presence of a twin-sided swing arm on the new Chetak scooter, which is in contrast to the regular Chetak's single-sided swing arm. The telescopic fork, too, appears to be hooded, and the new scooter has dual shock absorbers, as opposed to the monoshock on the standard Chetak.

We expect this scooter to have multiple battery options in the range of 2.5 kWh to 3.5 kWh, with range on the top-spec model likely to exceed 120 kilometres.