KTM, a Swiss sports bike manufacturer with a manufacturing joint venture with Bajaj Auto, announced on Friday that it will begin selling the electric form of the resurrected legendary Chetak in Europe in the first quarter of 2024.
The 50.1:49.9 joint venture also produced the one millionth KTM motorcycle at the Chakan factory near here.
KTM claims to be the world’s leading premium motorcycle manufacturer.
The E-Chetak, particularly the second version, is an excellent commuter product for a market such as Europe. If all goes according to plan, we should be able to market our e-scooter throughout Europe by early 2024.
Stefan Pierer, the chief executive of Perier Mobility, which owns the KTM brand, told reporters that the start of the European marketing season in March should find us prepared.
The Chetak gained notoriety throughout the years after its 1972 inception, however in 2006, the Chetak was discontinued by Bajaj Auto under the current leadership of Rajiv Bajaj since the firm had grown more through the sale of motorcycles.
The storied scooter made a comeback in October 2019 in the shape of an electric vehicle (EV), and since then, over 24,000 units have been sold at a price of Rs 1.4 lakh, and it is now accessible in 40 locations.
The Bajaj KTM collaboration began in October 2007, and the first bike was released in 2011.
In a press conference, Rajiv Bajaj stated that half of the 1 million KTMs sold in India are exported to around 70 countries.
The Chakan plant can produce 2 lakh units of various KTM models per year, and its output last year was approximately 1.6 lakh, which has dropped further this fiscal due to chip shortage, a Bajaj official told PTI here on Friday. KTM distributes half of the KTMs made in Pune to roughly 70 global markets, whereas Bajaj ships a fraction of its volume to Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Indonesia, according to Pierer.
On attaining the 1 millionth milestone, Bajaj said when we began the KTM relationship in 2007 with the goal of cheap innovation and 15 years later we have not only been successful but have also become strategic partners with 49.9:50.1 ownership holding structure.
And, because our cultures are so similar, we’ve developed a long-term and trustworthy partnership that will soon be expanded to include electric vehicles and next-generation technology.
He also stated that the plant is ready to roll out our higher-end KTM bikes whenever KTM management desires.
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