[libranof1987]

Bajaj Chetak Premium Electric Scooter Review

Bajaj Chetak Premium Pros

• Solid build quality along with top quality fit & finish. The electric Chetak is very well put together
• Looks and feels like and is a proper scooter, unlike some peers that have a toyish feel
• Well equipped. With the TecPac, gets all the latest features and functions, including connectivity features
• Bajaj's widespread sales and support network. Additionally, dedicated facilities are being set up for servicing electric scooters
• Convenient and portable charging cable that can be plugged in a regular 15A plug

Bajaj Chetak Premium Cons

• Top speed of 73 km/h and maximum range of 126 km is significantly lower than similarly priced rivals
• No battery options. Only one capacity battery is available
• Missing features such as ABS, fast charging, etc.
• Suspension is on the firmer side. Lots of feedback through the handle can get annoying on bad roads
• Under-seat storage space is limited. A full-face/full size helmet doesn't fit

Introduction

The Chetak brand has been synonymous with scooters since time immemorial; almost all members and readers of the forum and/or their parents would have owned a Chetak scooter at some point of time in their lives. However, with the turn of the century, as modern scooters such as the Honda Activa started coming into the market and motorcycles started becoming more popular, the traditional geared scooters lost their relevance and vanished from the market and so did the Chetak. Bajaj chose to revive the Chetak nameplate when they entered the electric scooter segment.

Launched in 2019, the Chetak electric scooter wasn't immediately successful as it was launched at a very high price point and couldn't compete with peers either on features or battery capability. Through price revisions, and being backed by a powerhouse of mobility like Bajaj, the Chetak continues to put up a fight against products from new-age startups that have dominated the market. Bajaj is also setting up dedicated showrooms and service centres for electric scooters, acknowledging the uniqueness of both, the buying demographic and servicing of electric vehicles.

With the 2024 Chetak Premium variant, Bajaj seems to take the fight right to competitors' doorsteps. With the TecPac that enables almost every convenience and connectivity feature you can think of in a scooter, the Chetak is a very well-rounded package. That said, the range and top speed continue to lag behind its rivals, and the scooter is available only with one capacity battery.

Bajaj Chetak Premium Pricing

The 2024 Bajaj Chetak Premium variant has been launched at a price of Rs. 1,35,463 (ex-showroom), with the optional TecPac package costing Rs. 9,000 for five years. As mentioned earlier, the electric version of the Chetak was launched in 2019 at a fairly high price point and has since undergone revisions. The most recent iteration seems well-positioned vis-a-vis its peers such as the Ola S1 Pro, TVS iQube and Ather 450X among others.

[libranof1987]

Design & Styling

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The 2024 Chetak Premium comes with a steel body, and has sturdy build quality. The fit & finish throughout is top-notch. You won't find poorly finished parts or ill-fitting panels. The overall quality of the scooter is terrific. When you look at the scooter, you realize it has been designed and developed well. A lot of peers in the electric scooter segment tend to have a very toyish feel to them, but the Chetak feels like a proper scooter.

Features and Instrumentation

The biggest change in the Chetak Premium is the addition of the multi-colour TFT screen along with the TecPac that enables a host of smart and connectivity features.

Introduced with the Premium variant is a 5" multi-colour TFT screen that is absolutely top quality. The display, the UI/UX design are perfect - there's just the right amount of information displayed. Then, the arrangement of information, the font of text and icons, the display quality - everything is just terrific.



The screens displays the following:
- Status of the lights: indicators, headlight, high-beam
- Phone battery and network strength (when connected)
- Battery status, range, Aux Battery status
- Odometer
- Distance-to-Service
- Speed along with the battery output
- Riding mode: Eco/Sport
- Motion mode: N, D, R
- When the phone is paired, you can see information of the song being played, turn-by-turn navigation, and also SMS/call notifications
- Regeneration status: this is conveyed through a scooter icon that gets colour-coded, white when the motor is in use, green when regeneration is complete and top-down/down-up animation as regenerations is in progress
- Date, time

The next big enhancement in the Chetak is the TecPac. Offered at a reasonable cost of Rs. 9,000 (8,000 for the Urbane variant), the TecPac enables several features on the scooter. This TecPac is entirely software-driven, so it can be enabled at any time at the service centre. Bajaj has mentioned that customers can enable the TecPac at any time within a year of purchase.

What you get with the TecPac:
- Hill Hold Assist
- Sport mode (in addition to the standard Eco mode)
- Full app connectivity
- Call management: you can answer/end calls through the buttons on the handle
- Music control
- Turn-by-turn navigation. The base maps for this is MapMyIndia
- Sequential blinkers

Here's what the app looks like when connected to the scooter:

Wheels & Tyres

The Chetak gets alloy wheels shod with 90/90/R12 tyres at the front and rear. The scooter comes with MRF Zapper-K tyres, that are the mainstay of the scooter segment.

Ergonomics and Comfort

The riding position on the Chetak is very relaxed allowing most riders to be able to firmly plant their feet on the ground. The seat is appropriately wide and long, ensuring both, the rider and pillion, can have a comfortable ride. The rear passenger gets retractable foot pegs on either side in addition to the grab-handle at the back.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The scooter comes with a standard warranty of three years, which can be extended to five years, by paying for the 4th and 5th year. The cost for the additional two years has not been communicated yet.

[libranof1987]

Riding the Bajaj Chetak Premium electric scooter

The Premium variant of the Bajaj Chetak electric scooter uses the same battery pack that was on offer in the outgoing Chetak electric scooter. However, there is a bump in capacity from 2.9 kWh to 3.2 kWh through a denser packing of cells. The number of cells remains the same.

Given the bump in power, the range of the Chetak Premium is an estimated 126 km. You can expect a realistic 110 km range on full charge. The 110 km number seems realistic and achievable as through the course of our test ride through bumper-to-bumper traffic and free highways at varying speeds, the scooter held about ~50% charge after 50 km.

The Chetak Premium gets two riding modes - Eco and Sport. The Sport mode is available with the TecPac. You can move between the two modes by pressing the D button once. You can engage the Drive or Reverse mode by pressing the brake lever (front or rear) + long press of D or R respectively.

As the names suggest, both modes get a difference in the torque band. While the Eco mode is no slouch itself, the Sport mode provides much sharper throttle response and aggressive acceleration.

The top speed is rated at 63 km/h in the Eco mode, and 73 km/h in the Sport mode. It is here that the Chetak continues to lag behind similar spec'd peers.

Riding the Chetak Premium is quite effortless in the city; the power on tap in Eco mode is more than sufficient for most purposes. It is not slow off the mark from a standstill by any means and has enough acceleration for typical city use. Put in Sport mode and it gets very aggressive with the power delivery and you find yourself leaping forward.

The motor has a subtle whine when in motion. If you give to much throttle, you'll hear a beep.

Battery Capacity, Range & Charging

The Chetak Premium gets a 3.2 kWh battery that has the same number of cells as the current model but has a higher density, which has allowed the battery capacity to be bumped up from 2.9 kWh to 3.2 kWh.

The Chetak Premium (or even the Urbane) comes with only one battery option. We feel this is a missed opportunity, as offering a variety of battery packs could have allowed Bajaj to cater to a wider range of customers, both from a range and price perspective.

What's new on the Chetak Premium is that it gets an 800W onboard charger, with a very convenient charging cable that you can plug in at any 15A plug:


For reference, the Chetak Urbane gets a 650W offboard charger, but that can be used at any 10A plug:


It takes up majority of the under-the-seat storage space:


In this sense, the onboard charger and charging cable offered with the Premium make charging the scooter extremely effortless and hassle-free.

A full charge for the Chetak Premium will take 4 hours and 30 minutes. It does not support fast charging. However, you can get a 15.6 km range within 30 minutes for those emergencies.

Suspension and Handling

The ride quality of the 2024 Bajaj Chetak Premium is quite compliant, although the suspension is on the firmer side. So, while the scooter can tackle average city roads at ease, you won't enjoy riding on rumbler strips, or those huge speed-breakers (with a vertical profile on either end) that have become so common on our roads.

What is immensely annoying is, the amount of feedback through the handle from the front wheel. You can literally feel every undulation on the road, the unevenness on the road when you're riding on paver blocks, or roughly finished cement roads. What makes this worse is that the accelerator has some play. So when you're going through a rough patch, not only the handle, but the accelerator too vibrates!

That said, the scooter handles very well. It doesn't make its weight felt and is easy to manoeuvre inside the city and fit into tight parking spots.

Braking & Regeneration

The Chetak Premium gets a disc brake at the front, and a drum brake at the rear. Braking is very effective and competent, although the rear brake feels slightly spongy.

Regeneration on the scooter takes place when you're coasting (without any accelerator input) or when you brake. The intensity of regeneration is the same in Eco and Sport modes and kicks in at speeds above 10 km/h.

Hill Hold Assist

: This feature is available with the TecPac. When triggered, the feature causes the brakes to be engaged for about three seconds. Activation of Hill Hold Assist depends on various factors that may appear a bit inconsistent in real-world usage.

Through the course of our test ride, we found the Hill Hold Assist to get triggered when you come to a stop by braking after being in motion and then let go of the brakes. If the vehicle is put in motion either manually (pushing/pulling) or rolling back, the function gets activated and the brake is engaged. However, the behaviour isn't replicated every time you do this.

[libranof1987]

Bajaj Chetak Premium Electric Scooter Images

Classic scooter look with modern design touches:


Twin tail-light clusters at the rear:


The DRL runs along the circumference of the headlight cluster:


With the the headlight and front turn-indicator in action. All lights are LEDs. When the headlight is turned on, the DRL remains active; just slightly dimmed:


Vertically oriented rear light clusters get LEDs as well:


With the lights in action: With the TecPac enabled, you get sequential blinkers


ORVMs give decent coverage of the action behind:


Front gets an alloy wheel, shod with a 90/90 R12 tyre, and disc brake:


Rear gets a similar treatment, with an alloy wheel shod with a 90/90 R12 tyre, but with a drum brake:


You can see the brake fluid level on the outer side of the handle, on the right:


Rear brake gets a brake-lock feature, just like old times:


Seat is sufficiently wide and long, allowing for a fairly comfortable seating position for both, ride and pillion


In addition to the Indigo Blue of our test bike, the 2024 Bajaj Chetak Premium is available in two colours. Here it is in Hazelnut...


...and Brooklyn Black:


Smart key with just a button to turn on the indicators when you're trying to locate your scooter. Note: the key does not lock/unlock the scooter; that's done through the push button:


The scooter gets a push-button starter. A single click turns the scooter on, a single click when the scooter is in D or R puts it in N. A quick double-click switches the scooter off and a long-press of the switch locks the handle:


LHS gets button for the left turn-indicator, horn, headlight, high-beam, scrolling through the menu:


RHS gets buttons for the right turn-indicator, D/R mode selector, opening the front storage space (on the control column) with a single click, and the seat by long-pressing the button on the bottom left, to confirm your selections and to scroll through the sub-menu:


Note: the buttons on both stalks are back-lit at all times.

Premium variant gets a new multi-colour TFT screen that is top quality. The UI/UX and display quality are perfect:


Warning that tells you when the side stand is extended...


...and when the seat is open:


Also, when you receive a text message on your phone (when it is paired). Notice how the warnings for side stand and seat are in red, and for an incoming text in blue. Commendable attention to detail, to separate the two types:


A floating bubble appears at the bottom when you receive a call:


The display when you select Reverse:


Eco mode in D gets a soothing blue theme...


...while the Sport mode gets fiery red:


Pressing the Up/Down button on the RHS switchgear opens the Music app (when a phone is connected and music is being played). While the Music menu is open, you can adjust the volume using the buttons on the LHS:


Click the Up/Down arrow on the left stalk to access the Menu: Display, Bluetooth, Settings, and Vehicle Information


You can set the date and time...


...and choose between Distance-to-Service and Aux battery voltage on the home screen:


You can check the distance until service is due...


...vehicle details such odometer, battery health and charge and time since the last charge, along with a riding score...


and trip information with two trip meters, and their associated information:


You can choose between two themes - Techno and Plano:


Techno theme, with Aux Battery Voltage being chosen:


You can turn on Bluetooth pairing between the scooter and your phone, through the Chetak app:


You can see the regen status on the instrument cluster. The scooter in the cluster completely in green indicates regeneration is full/complete:


The scooter is white when in motion and hence, regeneration is not active:


As you brake/coast, the scooter gets coloured in green to indicate regeneration is in progress (it'll get filled in green from bottom to top as regeneration takes place, and in white from top to bottom as you use the motor):


The display is fairly readable even under direct sunlight:


Ample leg and knee room. You get a luggage hook under the seat that has rated capacity of 3 kg. This is among the rare flimsy parts on the scooter


Storage compartment on the apron (which can be opened with a single click of a button on the RHS switchgear)...


...where you can store the charging cable, toolkit, and miscellaneous items such as the first aid kit:


You get a basic toolkit with a screwdriver and Allen key along with a basic first aid kit:


The space seems very purpose-built (for the charging cable and toolkit) with its dimensions:


USB-A Charging Port has been provided. There's some space next to it where you can store your phone:


A close look at the charging cable. Remember the Chetak Premium comes with an 800W onboard charger, so you can just carry this cable along, and plug it into any 15A socket to charge the scooter. Very convenient!


Under-seat storage has gone up from 17 to 21 litres; this has been achieved through a change in the seat profile. There is no change in the design of the scooter. Access this space with a long press of the button on the right stalk. Note: the buzzer will beep continuously when the seat is open. Also, the seat gets a soft retract feature, so if you nudge/lightly push the seat down, it will come down slowly. You'd still have to push it at the end to lock it though:


Width and length are just about enough to accommodate in a full-size helmet (a Nolan N87 in this case)...


...but the depth is not enough:


Charging port is located at the rear:


LED lamp for convenience:


Disclaimer: Bajaj invited Team-BHP for the Bajaj Chetak Premium test-ride. They covered all the travel expenses for this riding event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Elegant]

I own one of the first bajaj chetaks on road during covid period. And let me tell you people, this scooter has one major design flaw. The tiny tires are NOT able to sustain such a huge sturdy metal bodied scooter, resulting in the scooter slipping very often. This has also been confirmed to me by the people working at chetak service centers. And for my experience, the scooter has slipped 4 times, massive damage to the rear hump. Even at low speeds of 25kmph, a little gravel on the road and a slight hard break will get you to fall down. And now if you damage the scooter, obiously you will claim insurance for the damage. You will realise that the after sales service for chetak is painfully bad. They share their workspace with KTM. However, this is changing and now chetak is getting seperate workplaces. Also, there is a mechanism in this scooter, due to which when you accelerate, and even if slight break lever is pressed, there is an immediate cut off from the motor and the scooter lags. This is pretty dangerous until you get used to this. In my case, this sensor failed twice, which was replaced under warranty for me. But even for this, the scooter had to be parked an the service center as they had to order parts and it took almost 4 days. The scooter otherwise is great. Pretty relaible too.

[i10_sanjay]

Chetak's design looks like it has been "inspired" by the Vespa (which is not wrong at all, afterall they were literally making them after getting the license to manufacture from Piaggio of Italy). But there are too many wannabe electric Vespas manufactured by umpteen companies in India. It is good that those companies are getting out of business, but I still could not spot a Chetak as easily as I spot an Ather/iQube/OLA in a city like Bangalore!

[shobhit.shri]

This looks like an interesting choice for a casual rider like me, but the lack of ABS is a miss! If it were available in the original dark blue of 90s Chetak, I might have bought it just for the nostalgia.

I like how Bajaj is taking sensible, calculated steps in the EV space. I am not sure if it might end up missing the bus, though. After all, what others are learning on scooters can easily translate to bikes too!

[Harsh_sharma]

Originally Posted by Elegant

Also, there is a mechanism in this scooter, due to which when you accelerate, and even if slight break lever is pressed, there is an immediate cut off from the motor and the scooter lags. This is pretty dangerous until you get used to this.

Isn't it common for all Electric scooters? I have ridden the Ola S1 Pro & even with minor input it cuts off the motor as you mentioned. Found it very difficult & quite a learning curve coming from ICE scooters, where one hand is always on the brake.

[Elegant]

Originally Posted by Harsh_sharma

Isn't it common for all Electric scooters? I have ridden the Ola S1 Pro & even with minor input it cuts off the motor as you mentioned. Found it very difficult & quite a learning curve coming from ICE scooters, where one hand is always on the brake.

Not sure about others, I haven't ridden many electric scooters, except for mine. But it is very very dangerous, atleast for the ones who don't know it. And yes, it does take time to learn the correct way of riding.

[Venky03]

Originally Posted by Elegant

And for my experience, the scooter has slipped 4 times, massive damage to the rear hump. Even at low speeds of 25kmph, a little gravel on the road and a slight hard break will get you to fall down.

Thank you for highlighting this, I noticed this during a test ride that I took and also asked the advisor about it. He replied that it's a test ride vehicle and this won't happen on a new scooter.

Originally Posted by Harsh_sharma

Isn't it common for all Electric scooters? I have ridden the Ola S1 Pro & even with minor input it cuts off the motor as you mentioned. Found it very difficult & quite a learning curve coming from ICE scooters, where one hand is always on the brake.

Brakes do not cut off motor on TVS iQube & Ather 450 series scooters.

[Harsh_sharma]

Originally Posted by Venky03

Brakes do not cut off motor on TVS iQube & Ather 450 series scooters.

I preassumed it to be a an electric scooter thing. But seems like Ola, Chetak has it. Ather and TVS do not.

Originally Posted by Elegant

Not sure about others, I haven't ridden many electric scooters, except for mine. But it is very very dangerous, atleast for the ones who don't know it. And yes, it does take time to learn the correct way of riding.

Yes it is very dangerous specially while taking a slow turn or manuovering in streets, sudden power cut off while leaned in is scary!

[Elegant]

Originally Posted by Venky03

Thank you for highlighting this, I noticed this during a test ride that I took and also asked the advisor about it. He replied that it's a test ride vehicle and this won't happen on a new scooter.



Brakes do not cut off motor on TVS iQube & Ather 450 series scooters.

If you actually want to see how serious of an issue this slipping is, sir, just go and visit any service center. You will see atleast 100 Chetaks waiting for insurance claim. Ask the owner of the scooter who came in for an insurance, he will highlight the same to you. I am still surprised why no one has ever highlighted this flaw (atleast I did not come across any such article). Finally, I decided to just write this under this thread.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Elegant

I own one of the first bajaj chetaks on road during covid period. And let me tell you people, this scooter has one major design flaw. The tiny tires are NOT able to sustain such a huge sturdy metal bodied scooter, resulting in the scooter slipping very often.

Pertinent observation, thanks for sharing!

There were a few instances during the test ride where I felt the rear to lose traction easily and quickly; I wasn't able to pin it to a specific cause. But you make an interesting point, and it well may be the case.

Originally Posted by shobhit.shri

I like how Bajaj is taking sensible, calculated steps in the EV space.

They seem to do, indeed.

They also have an exchange program to encourage people swapping their old scooters for an electric Chetak. The other thing they mentioned during the media event: they're working with other manufacturers on building an industry-level charging network vs. having their own (as Ather has done).

They indicated sustainability is a big part of their plans.

[akshay81]

My Chetak premium purchased in March, 2024 has a funny issue. I gave it for servicing recently when the odometer read 170 kmw. However, post servicing and software update, the odometer is showing 5,000 kms!!! As per the service centre, this is a software glitch and nothing can be done and there will be no issues with the vehicle.

However, this seems to be bordering on something illegal / unethical. In case someone wants to sell off their Chetak, it is extremely easy to manipulate the odometer to get a good deal. I have sent a mail to Chetak team. Will post their response if and when received.