Bajaj Urbanite scooter design sketches surface

Bajaj had confirmed sometime back that it will be launching an all new range of scooter sometime around Diwali. Now, the design sketches of the upcoming scooter have surfaced. The scooters will come under a newly formed marque Urbanite, and will mark the return of Bajaj into the scooter space, albeit in a more modern form. Earlier, it was being speculated that the company will only launch electric scooters but now it seems like Bajaj is also working on conventional powered scooters for the mass market. By not launching these scooters directly under its name, the company will keep the motorcycle and scooter business separate.

Looking at these leaked sketches, it design seems to be an amalgamation between the old and new scooter designs. The round headlights and flared rear side panels hint toward the older generation of scooters while the front apron, seat and other element plant it as a modern scooter. The design seems to be inspired by the Piaggio Vespa range along with the Yamha Fascino scooter. The sketches also show the presence of stylish multi spoke alloy wheels. A big round instrument cluster is also visible which would probably carry a digital analog design theme to keep up the nostalgia factor. Other features design include a front storage compartment for storing knick knacks and large elongated turn indicators at the back.

As of now, nothing can be said about the technical specifications of the scooter. However, going by the design sketch it is evident that Bajaj will use a single sided front suspension setup. Also, the front wheel is missing out on disc brake which suggest that the company is targeting the budget segment with it. However, these things could be later on at a later stage too.

The Urbanite scooter range will debut towards the end of 2019, preferably during the Diwali festive season. It is expected that the brand will come both electric and petrol powered scooters. The retro modern design language as depicted by this sketch could be used for the petrol powered variant while the electric one would have a more futuristic design language. In the electric Scooter segment, there is no serious competitor in India as of now. The Ather S340 is the only scooter currently that offers good range and features which make it a considerable option.

If Bajaj launches the electric scooter range in India by the end of this year, it will have to work on many other aspects too in order to turn it into a success story. Lack of fast charging infrastructure is the biggest hurdle that needs to be tackled. Advancements in battery technology has ensured that the range of such vehicles is pretty decent at a affordable price point but without regular charging stations, this concept can’t be deemed as viable.

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