New Delhi: The well-known Pune based auto manufacturer Bajaj will be launching India’s first ever quadricycle “Qute” on April 18. It is more like a four-wheeler version of a three-wheeler auto rickshaw. It does get a steering wheel and a front passenger seat though.
Bajaj Auto has been manufacturing the Qute in India for a while now for export markets but now, the company will finally and officially launch it in India on April 18, 2019. The Bajaj Qute first debuted at the 2012 Auto Expo, with the production version showcased in 2016 at a special event. It was only in 2018 that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approved the creation of a new class of vehicles called the quadricycles which now means that the Qute is finally road legal in India and can be used for both commercial and personal use.
The Bajaj Qute is powered by a 216 cc, single-cylinder, twin-spark engine which is available as a mono-fuel version. That means, you can either get it in petrol form, or CNG, not both. The petrol version puts out around 13 bhp at 5500 rpm and 18.9 Nm at 4,000 rpm. Bajaj reckons the CNG variant will be the bigger seller. The CNG variant puts out just over 10 bhp of power and around 16 Nm of peak torque, and the engine is paired to a five-speed gearbox. The Bajaj Qute offers better weather protection, it’s frugal to run, and most importantly, convenient to drive and use in crowded areas. The price is Rs 2.64 lakh for the petrol version, and ? 2.84 lakh (all prices ex-showroom) for the CNG variant.
