Ola S1 Pro vs Bajaj Chetak: which electric scooter is right for you? | 91mobiles.com

In today’s comparison, we take the much-talked-about Ola S1 Pro and the Bajaj Chetak for an electrifying spin and we draw a conclusion on which fairs better. While both brands are strongly Indian, the Ola S1 Pro derives a Dutch pedigree while the Bajaj Chetak is essentially homegrown. However, both these brands and their offerings dwell in the premium electric scooter market, thereby making it absolutely essential to check how they stack up against each other. Bajaj Chetak’s key to fame was tugging on Indian heartstrings, amassing interest with the iconic brand’s revival in 2020. Ola Electric’s smart approach helped the S1 Pro to successfully gather interest owing to its attractive pricing and first in class features. We ask which one is better?

Ola S1 Pro vs Bajaj Chetak: price in India 

Ola S1 Pro is the higher-spec variant and is now the only variant on sale after the company decided to halt production of the vanilla Ola S1. The Ola S1 pro comes in at a sticker price of Rs 1,29,999 (ex-showroom) before subsidies. The Bajaj Chetak is priced comparatively higher at Rs 1,49,350 (ex-showroom) before subsidies. 

It is good to note that the Ola S1 Pro offers 3 years / unlimited kilometres battery warranty while the Bajaj Chetak offers a 3 years / 50,000km battery warranty. 

Ola S1 Pro vs Bajaj Chetak: design, specifications 

The Ola S1 Pro and Bajaj Chetak take a very different approach when it comes to the design language. While the Ola S1 Pro looks rather modern, the Bajaj Chetak takes a more retro-futuristic approach. The S1 Pro derives a clean and tidy design language with an approach that speaks of minimalism. There are 10 colour options to jazz up the exterior. The front gets an Android looking headlamp cluster and slim turn indicators. The rear end flows into a functional yet stylish looking tail lamp assembly. 

The Bajaj Chetak goes slightly old school with its flowy lines, hinting at its roots from the ’90s. The Bajaj Chetak adds bling by using modern touches such as a deformed round headlamp with a horseshoe DRL design, chrome embellishments and a slit tail lamp assembly with sequential indicators. The steel body has some beautiful lines, creases and bulges to make the design really stand out. 

The Ola S1 Pro starts off with a specially designed chassis that cradles the battery in the curved floorboard and also ensure a low centre of gravity to aid handling. The front end gets a single-sided fork while the rear end gets a horizontally mounted mono-shock absorber for suspension duties. The electric scooter ships an 8.5kW motor with 58Nm of torque that propels the scooter from 0-40kmph in 3 seconds. The scooter also scores a claimed top speed of 115kmph. There’s a disc brake at the front and the rear and still leaves out enough room to fetch you a 36L under-seat boot space. 

The Bajaj Chetak brings in a 4.08kW motor paired to a 60.3 Ah battery that delivers 14Nm of torque to the wheels. The electric scooter manages to haul up to 80kmph. The scooter gets a single-sided swingarm at the rear while at the front it gets a single-sided telescopic fork. The alloys upfront are paired to a disc brake while the rear makes do with a drum brake. Bajaj offers a more conventional flat footboard which will come in handy for Indian buyers for the daily grocery run. 

Ola S1 Pro vs Bajaj Chetak: range

The Ola S1 Pro takes the edge here as well, with its claimed 181km range and a true range of approximately 135km. This strong range number surely comes in handy when you consider longer intervals between your charge ups. With the 6.5 hours long charge time, you would want to stay away from charging. The Bajaj Chetak despite its lower performance isn’t frugal and only manages a claimed 90km on a full charge. On the plus side, it charges from 0-100% in 5 hours. 

Ola S1 Pro vs Bajaj Chetak: How to order?

The Ola S1 Pro is sold completely online with no dealership network whatsoever. The company however had issued Test Ride Camps to preview scooters for customers under the waiting period. Ola’s website currently states that the Ola S1 Pro’s booking window will soon open. Once it is, prospective buyers can secure a booking by making a payment of Rs 499. Once the booking is processed, Ola would issue a Rs 20,000 advance window for the scooter. The remaining amount is required to be paid upon delivery. 

The Bajaj Chetak buying process is simpler and you can purchase it online or offline via its dealerships. The company also allows simple gateways for the renewal of the data packs.