Bajaj Auto’s Executive Director Rakesh Sharma told recently that Bajaj-KTM are looking at platforms to bring up premium electric motorcycles
Bajaj Auto and KTM are evaluating to bring up premium electric motorcycles based on new platforms. The homegrown two-wheeler manufacturer is said to be taking a balanced and calibrated approach in expanding the footprint of the Chetak electric scooter as well. Bajaj Auto’s Executive Director Rakesh Sharma told of this matter as he replied to a query raised during the media briefing.
He was quoted saying, “We are also in discussion with KTM (and) there is a joint work going on where we are looking at platforms for high-end electric motorcycles,” More details regarding the electric motorcycle plans will be announced at the appropriate time as Sharma said, it is “certainly on our radar screen”.
He expects the volume numbers of the Bajaj Chetak to improve this quarter compared to the April to June 2022 period (Q1 FY23). The electrified scooter managed to garner a total of 6,200 units in the last year and it was a substantial improvement compared to the 300 unit sales in the March quarter of the previous FY.
More specifically, Sharma hopes to see it double or get close to doubling the numbers in Q1 FY23 but the supply chain constraints will have an impact on it. The cumulative reservations for the Bajaj Chetak stand at more than 16,000 units currently. The Chetak is sold in 27 cities across the country and it will be expanded to 100 cities in the near future.
The upcoming festive season is expected to deliver decent results and last time out it was said to be satisfactory. The Chakan-based company recently introduced the N160 based on the same tubular frame and styling as the N250 in India. The architecture will further be expanded into other motorcycles within the Pulsar lineup as well.
Late last year, Bajaj announced an investment of Rs. 300 crore at the Akurdi plant in Pune where the original Chetak was produced. The brand new facility will cater to manufacturing electric vehicles with a capacity of five lakh EVs per annum. It is spread over an area of half a million square feet and will employ nearly 800 personnel.