The upcoming Bajaj scooter could be named Fluor or Fluir and is expected to be priced around Rs. 1 lakh upon arrival
Bajaj Auto introduced the Chetak Electric just over a year ago and it has been well received amongst customers in recent months as its reach has rapidly been expanded across major cities. The Chetak nameplate was brought back after decades clearly announcing the brand’s intention to launch all-electric models catering to the environmental demands and it competes against TVS iQube directly.
With new startups and more mainstream two-wheeler manufacturers (Hero MotoCorp’s electric scooter debut by March 2022 and Suzuki Burgman based EV also in the works) getting in the EV act, Bajaj is expected to expand its zero-emission scooter range with a more affordable version of the Chetak Electric and it could go by the name Fluor or Fluir as they have been trademarked.
While the spy picture caught in Pune does not reveal much as it looks to be wearing heavy camouflage, some of the details can be seen. It does have a similar silhouette as the Chetak as the retro styling has been carried forward. However, the headlamp appears to have been mounted on the apron while the rear end is minimalistic compared to the Chetak.
The number plate holder is fixed onto the swingarm area and it looks almost identical to that of the Chetak Electric. Both the scooters are expected to have plenty in common mainly the battery essentials and critical components to keep the production costs competitive. The Bajaj Chetak Electric uses a 2.9 kWh battery pack working in tandem with a 4 kW electric motor and the upcoming affordable version could have a smaller battery with lesser range and ride modes could be offered.
The tail lamp and turn indicators can also be seen in the spy picture but we are sceptical over whether they are in a production-ready state yet. The Chakan-based manufacturer may not offer features like keyless operation and sequential turn signals in the upcoming scooter and the switchgear as well as body panels could undergo cost-cutting compared to the Chetak Electric.
The Bajaj Fluor or Fluir could be priced around Rs. 1 lakh and the spy image also reveals the flat floorboard and split seat setup as in the latest Aprilia SR series. It will more likely be pitched directly against Ola S1 scooter.