Planning To Buy A Chetak But Live Outside Pune Or Bengaluru? Your Wait Just Got Longer

Bajaj’s plans to sell its Chetak electric scooter across India have been put on hold for the next 4 to 5 months. Bajaj had introduced the Chetak first in Pune and Bengaluru and was looking to introduce it in other major cities depending on feedback from customers. The reason for the delay is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the interrupted supply chain of electrical components from China. Like most Indian electric bikemakers, Bajaj also imported electrical components like lithium-ion battery packs from China. It had also affected Bajaj’s plans to export the Chetak electric scooter to other countries. 

Also read: Bajaj Chetak First Ride Review

In discussion with a news source, Bajaj Auto’s Executive Director Rakesh Sharma said that due to the ongoing pandemic, key components from China were not coming in. This has resulted in Bajaj currently not accepting orders from Pune and Bengaluru. At present, the focus is to fulfil orders from these two cities first. Apart from this Sharma says that plans to introduce the Chetak in other cities now depend on factors like the lockdown duration, charging infrastructure, electric vehicle subsidy and customer feedback. Depending on the lockdown’s duration, the Chetak could take another 4 to 5 months to launch in other cities. 

Also read: Bajaj Chetak: Your Questions Answered

Bajaj’s foray into the electric two-wheeler segment started with the Chetak. The retro-styled electric scooter impresses with its build quality and fit and finish levels. It comes in two variants -- Premium (Rs 1,21,52) and Urbane (Rs 1,06,445, both on-road Bengaluru). The Bajaj Chetak competes with other premium homegrown electric scooters like the TVS iQube and Ather 450X.