The launch of the most affordable Bajaj Chetak is around the corner. The company recently showcased this EV to its dealers, and some pictures made it to the internet – showing massive feature cuts to keep the overall pricing in check. Here are the top five cost-cutting measures Bajaj has taken with this new cheaper model.
1: Paint
The scooter was spotted in a bright blue paint scheme. While this colour will definitely attract the youth of the country, the overall quality, fit and finish have taken a beating. The current models of the Chetak are known for their top-class paint finishes – something that will be missing in the upcoming variant.
2: Wheels and Brakes
The alloy wheels have been replaced with steel wheels which are much cheaper to design and manufacture. The brakes too are now drum type at both ends, another cycle part that will drastically reduce the overall price of the scooter.
3: Instrument Cluster
The Premium and the Urbane variants of the Chetak get fancy and expensive-looking TFT displays. But this cheaper model gets a monochrome LCD display.
4: Less Features
The lockable glove box has made way for two open storage cubbies that seem deep enough to store a phone and other small items like a wallet. The keyless ignition has also been removed from the feature list. This variant will get the cheaper alternative - just a physical ignition key.
5: Pricing
Will all these massive feature reductions and downgrade, Bajaj is likely to price this new Chetak variant quite aggressively. Currently, the most affordable Chetak variant is priced at Rs 1.23 lakh (ex-showroom). With this new variant, the company could be looking at a sub-Rs 1 lakh pricing and if that happens, the company is looking to attract a large number of young and price-conscious Indian buyers.
