With the help of FAME subsidies, electric scooters were able to penetrate the Indian market. Although startups initiated the EV influx, larger OEMs took their time to enter this space. Bajaj, in particular, took its time and brought back an iconic name – Chetak – in an all-electric form.
Built out of metal and sporting a classic design, the Chetak is one of the best-looking scooters on sale in India, if not the best. However, with the reduction in FAME subsidies, competitors started making more affordable versions of their EVs and Bajaj also had to do so. But what makes the Chetak stand out is that Bajaj hasn’t given up on its classy design or feel, but in fact, added more to it.
The 2024 Bajaj Chetak is available in two versions – Urbane and Premium – and we rode the latter, albeit for a short commute in the city to get a feel of it and experience the new updates.
2024 Bajaj Chetak Premium review – What’s new?
At first glance, the new Chetak Premium looks identical to the Chetak EV that was already on sale in India. However, under the skin, the scooter gets a larger 3.2kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 126km, while its top speed is limited to 73kmph. The scooter gets an onboard charger that neatly packs into the front compartment and can be fully charged in four and a half hours.
That said, the biggest highlight is the new TFT dash, replacing the older LCD unit. The instrument console offers phone connectivity, navigation, two themes to choose from, and displays phone and message notifications. There is also an option to listen to music and control it, which connects to a headset via Bluetooth.
With the added features comes a new set of switchgear, which has added controls on the left and right side to control various functions on the dash. The buttons feel nice to use, however, I wish Bajaj had stuck to traditional methods of indicating, as the left and right turn signal buttons are on either side of the handlebar.
2024 Bajaj Chetak review – Should you buy one?
A large part of the older scooter has been carried forward such as the design, headlights, brakes, tail lamps, and most importantly, the feel. That said, the Chetak always felt like a premium product and the new one continues to do so. The range is adequate for use in the city while charging is easy as it needs a three-pin socket.
We had the scooter for a short while and the actual range could not be tested, however, the connectivity options were seamless and went on without a glitch. The new Chetak might not have impressed us, but it never took away the feeling of riding something premium, which is more important. So answering the question, we strongly recommend buyers to test ride the Chetak, as it did leave us smiling.
