Bajaj Qute may take to Indian roads this year; mileage 36kmpl, features and more

The Bajaj Qute, touted as an alternative to three-wheelers, is likely to be launched in India later this year, according to reports.

First seen in 2008 Auto Expo and formally unveiled in September 2015, Bajaj Qute's launch faced hurdles after its safety standards were questioned. The path for its launch was cleared after government introduced the quadricycle category and graded Bajaj Qute under the new category.

Despite facing challenges in its own country, Bajaj Qute is being exported to countries in Europe, Africa, South America, and rest of Asia. According to reports, the company's production facility in Aurangabad, which produces its commercial line-up, manufactures around 25,000 units of the quadricycle every year, about a third of which is exported.

Baja Qute was initially developed by combined efforts of Bajaj and Renault as RE60 under their Ultra Low Cost car project. It was intended to be a small urban vehicle fit for crowded metro streets. Bajaj advertised it as a substitute to the conventional auto-rickshaw.

After Renault cut ties with the project later on, following which Bajaj renamed RE60 as Qute.

There actual price for the vehicle has not been confirmed yet, however Bajaj has said that its price will be somewhere between a three-whheeler and a small car. The base price of the vehicle is $2000 (around Rs 1.28 lakh) and the price tag in India is not expected to stray farther from that.

The Bajaj Qute runs on a 216.6 cc engine capable of producing 13.2 PS power and a top speed of 70 km/h. The engine will also have CNG and LPG compliant variants. It drives a six-speed sequential shift transmission, similar to those found in motorcycles.

Capable of carrying four passengers, the Qute claims to have a mileage of 36 km per litre and emits 66 grams of carbon dioxide per km. Bajaj claims these figures trump those seen with a usual three-wheeler, making its quadricycle more economical and environment-friendly. On safety front, it comes with seat belts for drivers and passengers.