Bajaj Qute quadricycle to finally roll onto Indian roads early next year

From early 2018, Bajaj Auto will finally be able to sell the Qute quadricycle in India. India’s ministry for road transport and highways (MORTH), headed by Minister Nitin Gadkari, will pass the final notification that allows quadricycles to be built and sold in India early next year. This notification will allow Bajaj to formally begin selling the Qute quadricycle, which is a vehicle that sits in between the three wheeled autorickshaw and conventional cars. Bajaj already builds the Qute in India, and exports it to many countries around the world.

In India, Bajaj first showcased the Qute as the RE60 concept way back in 2008, at the same time when the Tata Nano was showcased. In 2012, Bajaj brought the market-ready version of the RE60 to the 2012 Indian Auto Expo, and re-branded it as the Qute. However, India didn’t have regulations ready to accept quadricycles on its roads, and it has taken nearly five years for the government to come up with the necessary regulations that allow quadricycles on Indian roads.

The Qute is now BS4 compliant, and Bajaj Auto has been waging a lone battle to get the government to allow quadricycles on Indian roads. The company says that quadricycles are safer than autorickshaws and will give Indians the option of affordable mobility that is also very fuel efficient.

The vehicle is powered by a 216cc, four stroke engine with liquid cooling and fuel injection. This engine produces 13.2 PS of peak power and is capable of taking the Qute to a maximum speed of 70 Kmph. A five speed gearbox drives the rear wheels of the Qute. The engine is also rear mounted. The Qute seats four people in a 2+2 layout, including the driver. Seatbelts are standard for all four occupants.

It gets 180 mm drum brakes on all four wheels, which measure 12 inches each. The Qute weighs just 450 kilograms, and the low weight gives the vehicle an impressive claimed mileage of 36 Kml. Bajaj also has the CNG and LPG variants of the Qute ready for the market. The quadricycle measures 2.75 meters long, 1.31 meters wide and 1.65 meters tall. It has a 1.92 meter wheelbase and an excellent turning radius of 3.5 meters. Prices are expected to start from under Rs. 1.5 lakhs. This will make the Qute cheaper than an autorickshaw.

Via MoneyControl