Bajaj Chetak Electric vs Ather 450: The Better Electric Scooter At Rs 1.15 lakh?

Bajaj has introduced its first ever electric scooter in India named Chetak electric. With a starting price of Rs 1 lakh, the new electric two-wheeler arrives in an already competitive segment in the country¡¯s market. Among others, Bengaluru-based Ather Energy has managed to make a mark for itself in the category, thanks to its Ather 450 electric scooter.

So understandably, the two electric scooters will go neck to neck in the Indian market henceforth. An important distinction though, is the pricing model of the two. While Ather Energy allows buyers to opt for a subscription based model for the Ather 450, Chetak electric misses out on such a proposal.

Apart from this, there is quite a close competition between the two. Here is a comparison of what both the vehicles have to offer at their respective prices. Through these specifications of the two, we can have a fair idea of which one is going to trump the other. So here goes:

For a complete list of all the electric scooters in India, click here.

Design

By their looks, the two electric scooters are made for two completely different types of buyers. While the Ather 450 sports a modern look with an angular frame and streamlined design, Chetak electric focuses on retaining the signature Chetak look and embodies it in a new avatar. That can be seen in the bold and round components of the Chetak electric and the overall curvy design.'

A big plus for the Chetak electric is the different colour combinations that it comes in. These even include more than one colour option for the seats of the Chetak electric!

Bajaj Chetak Electric (Image: Bajaj Auto Ltd)

Ather 450 (Image: Ather Energy)

An interesting difference can be noted in the build quality of the two. While the Ather 450 comes with a plastic body, Bajaj claims to have used a metal body on the Chetak electric and says that it is the first of its kind in India.

Battery/ Range

Both the scooters offer different riding modes with the Eco and Sport modes being the two extremes in both of them. While the Eco focuses on optimum driving conditions to enable max range, Sports mode increases the performance while compromising on the range.

For the Chetak electric, the promised range in Eco and Sports mode is 95 km and 85 km respectively. The same numbers for the Ather 450 stand at 75 km and 55 km on a single charge.

This can be attributed to the 3 kWh battery on the Chetak electric, which is bigger than Ather 450¡¯s 2.4 kWh battery. Both the batteries are lithium-ion configuration and IP67 water and dust resistant.

Charging

There is, however, a twist in the tale when it comes to batteries. While the one on Chetak electric is bigger and promises a better range, it misses out on fast charging support and can only be charged to full in around 5 hours. An hour of charging can provide 25 percent of the battery¡¯s capacity.

Chetak electric has its charging point under the seat.

On the other hand, Ather promises fast charging on the Ather 450¡¯s battery. It says that the battery can juice up to 80 percent at the rate of 1 km per minute. After that, the fast charging cuts off and regular charging follows.

Warranty

Bajaj promises a battery life of 70,000 km and for this, it gives out a warranty of 3 years or 50,000 km on the Chetak electric.

Meanwhile, Ather 450 gets a warranty of 3 years for unlimited km on its battery. So potential buyers might want to take this into consideration while choosing the right make for them, knowing that the battery is the costliest part of an electric vehicle.

Performance

Chetak electric is powered by a 4 kW electric motor that is able to deliver 16 Nm of peak torque. The company has not mentioned a top speed for the electric scooter as of now.

In comparison, Ather 450 gets a 5.4 kW BLDC motor that can churn up to 20.5 Nm of instant torque and a top speed of 80 kmph. The acceleration stands at 0 to 40 kmph in 3.9 seconds.

Features

Both the electric scooters are equipped with the latest features seen in electric scooters. Easy reverse, connected technology for knowing the scooters¡¯ battery status, location and other information being some of them. Both come with their dedicated apps for this purpose.

Price

This is where Chetak electric has a slight advantage over its rival. Priced at Rs 1 lakh, the Urbane variant of Chetak electric is Rs 15,000 cheaper than the Ather 450. However, it should be noted that the Premium version costs the same as the Ather 450, i.e. Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom).

Still, at the lower price tag, the Chetak electric might appeal more to those looking for an entry-level electric scooter. For those not minding to shell out those few extra bucks, it is a tough competition and your personal choices might be the deciding factor here. So Bajaj Chetak electric or Ather 450? Let us know your choice in the comment section below.