Bajaj Chetak
Production of Bajaj Chetak electric scooter was stopped in Dec due to shortage of semi-conductor chips
Even as the Chakan plant commenced production from June onwards, last month production again came to a standstill due to a global shortage in supply of semi-conductors / chips. 0 units of Bajaj Chetak were manufactured in Dec 2020. Sales were down to just 3 units in Dec 2020. This is also the first time TVS iQube sales have been higher than that of Bajaj Chetak since launch.
Total sales in the year 2020 stood at 1,337 units for Chetak. In comparison, TVS iQube sales were at 290 units for the same period. Bajaj Auto expects to overcome these issues and once again resume production over the next 2-3 months. The company has now announced plans to open up bookings in 24 new cities during the period April 2021 and March 2022.
Registrations Cross 50k
Even as the Bajaj Chetak e-scooter is only on sale in the two cities of Bengaluru and Pune, registrations have hit the 50,000 mark. Registrations are not same as booking. It does not involve any payment. Interested buyers who submit their name and number either via online website or at the dealership, is considered as a registration.
Production Constraint And New Plant
Earlier this year too, Bajaj had production issues with Chetak. Bajaj Auto relies on its supply of battery cells coming in from Wuhan and the mandatory lockdown and further constraints lead to issues in the supply chain.
Bajaj Chetak Sales vs TVS iQube in 2020
Plans are afoot to commence manufacturing of the Chetak e-scooter to capacity once these issues are sorted. Apart from that, the company is working on setting up a brand new plant in Chakan, near Pune. The facility will commence production from 2023 and will be utilized for the manufacture of high end bikes from KTM, Husqvarna and Triumph motorcycles along with the Chetak.
Bajaj Chetak e-Scooter
The Bajaj Chetak is priced at Rs.1 lakh. Presented in two variants – Urbane and Premium and six colour options, the Chetak is currently on sale via 13 dealerships in Bengaluru and 4 dealerships in Pune.
The Chetak e-scooter receives an all metal body with a circular headlamp, alloy wheels and keyless ignition. Its fully digital instrument panel reveals information on battery range and real time battery indicator while the scooter rides on 12 inch wheels.
Bajaj Chetak is powered by an IP67 rated, 3 kWh lithium ion battery offering 5.36 bhp peak power and 16 Nm peak torque. It receives two modes of Eco and Sport with range of over 95 kms in Eco mode and 85 km in Sport model when fully charged.
Suspension is via single sided trail link in the front and rear single shock. The company offers a 3 year/50,000 km warranty with the Bajaj Chetak. The Pune based automaker also claims that the life of the battery is around 70,000 kms and has been tested under varying road and weather conditions.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
