Qute : India’s first Quadricycle from Bajaj is launched in Maharashtra

Quadricycle- was launched in Maharashtra by Bajaj Auto on Thursday. The quadricycle will be named Bajaj Qute and will be available in petrol and compressed natural gas (CNG) variants in select Bajaj Auto retail outlets. –

Quadricycle is a vehicle that is similar to an auto rickshaw on four wheels.

The cost of the quadricycle for CNG commercial is Rs 2,78,492 and petrol is Rs 2,48,061 (both are showroom prices).

Prashant Ahire, the deputy general manager of business planning at Bajaj Intracity Limited says that “The launch is targeted at commercial auto-rickshaw drivers who are looking for an upgrade.”

It was already launched in five other states, including Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa, the vehicle was launched in Maharashtra.

“The vehicle has been waiting for a launch for the past years,” Ahire said.

The vehicle that looks like a car in the size of an autorickshaw will be available in six colours. The Maharashtra government has prescribed the colour black for the use of quadricycle as a commercial vehicle.

Having procured clearance from 22 states, the vehicle is yet to get clearance from seven states in the country. With an aim of 60,000 sale throughout the country in the current year,the quadricycle has sold 200 units in Kerala since its first launch in the state a few weeks ago. In five other states, the vehicle was launched in the past two weeks and has seen takers from the commercial drivers.

“We are just saying that the initial traction has come from the commercials. That does not mean that the vehicles have not gone (being sold) in the personal segment also,” said Navneet Sahni, general manager of intracity business unit of Bajaj Auto.

Batteries prizes are yet to come down. When electric mobility is yet to mature in India, we see it as a little early (to launch the electric variant).“Our study tells us, CNG is the cheapest mode of transport as of now. You cannot beat CNG. Even with electricity you cannot beat CNG,” said Ahire.

The safety tests were newly defined for the launch of this vehicle since this was the first vehicle in its category that is neither a car not a three-wheeler.“There was enough debate on this. Finally CMVR (Central Motor Vehicle Rules) came out with a test which is a frontal crash test with a certain speed. That this vehicle passes. Safety norms are decided based on what a vehicle can do. So if a vehicle is going to run at a 150km speed, it will have a different test,” said Ahire.

“This category itself is a speed-limited category. It cannot drive beyond 70km/hour. that itself is a big factor for safety,” added Anupam Shrivastava, service head atintracity business unit of Bajaj Auto.

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