Planning To Buy A Bajaj Chetak? Here Are The Pros And Cons

Bajaj Auto revived the 'Chetak' moniker in early 2020, by launching an all-new electric scooter. It was the first instance of the Indian two-wheeler giant foraying into the EV space. Since then the Chetak has managed to perform decently although Bajaj is yet to fully capitalise on the EV and its strong points. Prices of the Bajaj Chetak start at Rs. 1.42 lakh (on-road), which do make it expensive than its rivals. So, should you buy one? Here's our list of pros and cons that should help you make a decision.

Also Read: Director Kiran Rao Brings Home The Bajaj Chetak

Not only is the Bajaj Chetak excellent to look at but packaged well too, which makes it a decent offering in the electric scooter space

Pros

1. Chic, stylish and contemporary - the Bajaj Chetak looks and feels premium. Neatly shaped lines, excellent build quality and paint finish and the curvaceous body panels all lend the feeling of a premium product. The LED headlamp with the horse-shoe shaped DRL and the 12-inch alloy wheels with the single-sided swingarm, all work as finishing touches on the scooter.
   

   The suspension is very well tuned on the Bajaj Chetak and the ride quality is impressive

2. Apart from the all-LED lighting, the Bajaj Chetak is equipped with dynamic turn indicators, a negative backlit digital instrument console and a push-button start. It also comes with the My Chetak app that brings access to features like vehicle location, vehicle status and geo-fencing.
   

   LCD instrument console is easy to read, and it also offers Bluetooth connectivity through the My Chetak app with several features

3. The suspension has been tuned very well on the Chetak. The ride quality is fantastic and so is the seat cushioning for the rider and the pillion.
4. The Bajaj Chetak's electric motor delivers around 3.8 kW of continuous power (around 5 bhp), and there's 16.2 Nm of peak torque available at 1400 rpm. All those numbers translate to a top speed of 70 kmph. While that may not seem too impressive, it's the initial acceleration that makes up for it. Power delivery is linear and you can get some more action by switching to Sport mode from the standard Eco mode.

Cons

A range of 80 km may not be sufficient for daily commuters with a long route

1. With prices starting at nearly one and a half lakh rupees, the Bajaj Chetak is an expensive proposition when compared to scooters with internal combustion engines and even other electric two-wheelers such as the TVS iQube.
2. The availability of the Bajaj Chetak is an issue. Currently, the Chetak is on sale in 20+ cities in India. It is yet to be made available across a major section of the country. The delivery times have been delayed as well.
3. A range of 80 km may not be sufficient for people with a longish daily commute as it would involve charging the scooter on a daily basis, which takes 4-5 hours. A range of 100+ km would have worked better.