Bajaj is expected to expand its electric two-wheeler range in the Indian market with a new e-motorcycle, which could be named ‘Freerider’
Bajaj Auto recently filed a trademark for a new name in India – Freerider. Although the manufacturer hasn’t given any details, this could be the name of the brand’s first electric motorcycle. Currently, Bajaj has only one EV in its arsenal, the Chetak e-scooter, and with the Indian automobile industry aggressively adopting electrification, we expect the manufacturer to add another electric two-wheeler to its lineup soon.
Bajaj’s new e-bike will likely be based on the Husqvarna E-Pilen, which was globally unveiled in April this year. The E-Pilen is powered by an 8 kW electric motor, and it can deliver a claimed range of 100 km. It also features swappable batteries, and some reports suggest that a more powerful version could be introduced at a later date.
Bajaj’s upcoming electric motorcycle will likely get the same powertrain as the electric Husky. It could have a neo-retro design, just like the Chetak EV, but it’s too early to comment on that. We expect a lot of impressive features to be offered here, like a fully digital instrument cluster, connected tech, reverse gear, riding modes, etc.
Also, the e-bike will likely be a lifestyle product, and thus would be relatively expensive. However, considering the decent demand Chetak is enjoying in the Indian market currently, despite only being available in a few cities across India, we expect the upcoming Bajaj electric motorcycle to be fairly popular as well, especially among the youth.
Earlier this year, Bajaj had also trademarked the names ‘Fluir’ and ‘Fluor’, which are also expected to be used for electric motorcycles. However, it should be noted that not all trademark filings result in road-going models, so we’re not sure which of these names would see the light of the day.
KTM and Husqvarna will also be introducing an electric scooter each in the near future. The forthcoming KTM-Husqvarna e-scooter will be based on the Chetak EV. Also, Bajaj Auto and KTM AG are co-developing a common platform for future electric two-wheelers, so we will likely see plenty of e-bike and e-scooter launches under their brands in the next few years.
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