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Bajaj e-Chetak Looks Like Vespa: Says Tata Motors’ VP Of Design Pratap Bose
Bajaj Auto recently unveiled the all-new electric e-Chetak with the aim of resurrecting the iconic name. The Vice-President at Tata Motors however, said that the all-electric offering from Bajaj looks like a ripped off version of a Vespa.
Mr Pratap Bose, the Vice-President of Design at Tata Motor took to Twitter to take a dig at Bajaj Auto. His Tweet read that the vehicle was a rip-off of the Vespa scooters. It also read that Bajaj had missed an opportunity to build something more unique.
The all-electric e-Chetak features an IP67 (waterproof) Lithium-ion battery that has NCA cells, and arrives with an Eco and Sport mode. The modes offer a range of 95km and 85km respectively. The electric scooter is also equipped with a reverse assist mode.
The all-new e-Chetak features a round LED headlight, DRLs, feather-touch functions for the horn and indicator switches, sequential LED indicators, and a large digital instrument cluster. Bajaj Auto has also installed mobility software like communications, security features, and user authentication.
Bajaj Auto is expected to remain focused on its motorcycle portfolio even after the launch of the all-new e-Chetak. The company's motorcycle portfolio is what sells the most in terms of volumes.
General Trivia
The Chetak is named after Rana Pratap Singh's horse of legend, Chetak. The scooter was launched in 1972 and quickly became a sensation. It's original design was based on the Vespa Sprint, and was replaced with an in-house design that shared the same appearance.
The Bajaj Chetak started losing its market share in the early 2000s and production stopped entirely in 2005, and sold the last scooter in stock in 2006. This year has seen an attempt to resurrect the Chetak, but how it works for the company remains to be seen.
Thoughts About The Tweet By The Vice-President Of Design At Tata
We agree with the lads at Tata. Bajaj could have designed something different from what the e-Chetak looks like at the moment. They had the time, the team, and the financial resources to make it work but they chose to ‘do a Vespa'. We guess every industry has its own Anu Malik.