Bajaj's re-enters the scooter segment with Chetak's electric version

The makers of Chetak in its new avatar are calling it a marvel of riveting design, precision engineering and flawless manufacturing thus making it a global benchmark in electric scooters. As per Bajaj Auto, the pioneering product is a homage to a glorious past as well as harbinger of a promising future.

More than just a scooter, the original Chetak pioneered personal transportation and fulfilled the aspirations of generations of Indians. It enjoyed unprecedented popularity with waiting periods exceeding 10 years and a resale value greater than its purchase price! Over 1.3 crore Chetaks were sold in India and its popularity earned it the endearing sentiment of ‘Hamara Bajaj’. The new Chetak, however, is poised to lead Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption and transformation in India and across the world for a better ‘Hamara Kal’.

The EV flaunts an iconic design with a beauty as simple lines and smooth surfaces are woven together softly to create a classic style that democratises distinctiveness. The modern day scooter has been updated with exquisite detailing, the use of premium materials and finishes, and a choice of six eye-catching colours that embellish its familiar form to achieve exceptional visual delight and touch and feel quality.

Featuring a hypnotic horseshoe shaped LED headlight with DRLs, it comes with feather touch activated electronic switches and sequential scrolling LED blinkers. A large digital console intuitively displays vehicle information with crisp clarity. Moreover, fine craftsmanship is visible in the smallest of details - from handlebar grips, levers and mirrors, to the softly opening of the glove box and the damped seat closure mechanism.

At the heart of the vehicle is an IP67 rated high-tech Lithium Ion battery with NCA cells. The battery is easily charged using a standard household 5-15 amp electrical outlet. The on-board Intelligent Battery Management System (IBMS) controls charge and discharge seamlessly. Additionally, an elegant home-charging station is available at a nominal cost.

The Chetak offers two drive modes (Eco, Sport) and a reverse assist mode to ensure that all the demands of a rider are satisfied. Regenerative braking via an intelligent braking system that converts braking heat into kinetic energy helps maximise its range.

The scooter offers a fully-connected riding experience by virtue of being embedded with mobility solutions like data communication, security and user authentication that will enable customers to have a seamless ownership and riding experience. The Chetak mobile app gives the rider a comprehensive overview of all aspects of his / her vehicle and its ride history.

A rigid frame clad with sheet metal body panels and a tubular single sided suspension vest the Chetak with the uncompromising strength and durability that it is famous for. The powertrain similarly employs a unique single-sided cast aluminium swing arm which houses the traction motor that drives the wheel through a high-efficiency automated gear box.

Nitin Gadkari, minister of road transport and highways, Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto Ltd and Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Ayog unveiling the all new Bajaj Chetak Electric Vehicle

The new Chetak will over 2020 find presence beyond the shores of India, across the relevant markets of Europe. It is born and bred to go beyond the objective of earning some valuable foreign exchange exporting our cost competitiveness towards a higher purpose of acquiring a fine reputation for our skills in the most ferociously competitive international arenas.

To be available in two variants, with each offering a range of 85 km and 95 km respectively, Bajaj Auto will officially launch the EV in January 2020. The company will also disclose the pricing and availability related details then.

Marriott Intn'l ups Starwood merger offer to $13.6 billion

Marriott International president and CEO Arne Sorenson said in a Linkedin post that Marriott has revised the agreement to merge with Starwood. Under the revised deal, signed with the Starwood Board of Directors, shareholders will receive 0.80 shares of Marriott stock plus $21.00 in cash for every share of Starwood common stock. This increases the total amount to be paid to a Starwood shareholder from $69.31 to $79.53 per share, based on the $73.16 closing price of Marriott stock on March 18, which represents a total value of $13.6 billion.  This revised agreement offers superior value for Starwood’s shareholders, the ability to close quickly, and provides value creation potential that will allow both sets of shareholders to benefit from improved financial performance.

"We remain confident that, together, we can create value and stay competitive in a quickly-evolving marketplace. The combination of Marriott and Starwood will create a premier lodging company with 5,700 hotels and over 1.1 million rooms that will benefit guests, associates, owners, franchisees and shareholders," said Sorenson in his Linkedin post.


Pasted below are extracts from his Linkedin post:

In my previous LinkedIn posts about the merger, I talked about the business rationale for the merger and what it means for the people involved, including our associates, our guests and our communities. I now think it is important to reiterate the value of this transaction. Beyond the math, the strategic story behind this combination has not changed.

Since we announced the merger in November 2015, our integration teams have met on average multiple times a week across disciplines. As a result of our extensive due diligence and joint integration planning, we are now even more confident in the potential of cost savings of this transaction.  We now expect to achieve $250 million in annual cost synergies within two years after closing, up from the $200 million estimated in November 2015 when we announced the original merger agreement.

Together, our enhanced loyalty programs will increase access to consumers in the lifestyle segment, open opportunities for new partnerships, and have greater effectiveness versus digital competition.

Our sales integration will result in our portfolio benefiting from exposure to Starwood’s brand-loyal, affluent consumers. Starwood’s portfolio will benefit from Marriott’s expertise in corporate, group and mid-market segments. This combination is also an opportunity to introduce key brands to underrepresented markets.

Finally, our strong free cash flow will reinforce the value of our asset-light business model.

With such meaningful cost efficiencies and new opportunities, we will be ideally positioned to offer guests unique experiences that will drive guest loyalty.  This in turn drives higher revenue opportunities and the addition of new hotels to our combined system should drive greater preference for our brands with owners and franchisees. 

Together, we will offer broader choices to our guests across the world and provide greater opportunities for our associates. With our scale, we will be able to better respond to technology disruptions. Starwood shareholders will also benefit from Marriott’s multi-year industry leading unit growth and consistent return of capital.

As I’ve said before, this combination brings together two of the most talented and experienced teams in the industry. Guests, associates, owners and franchisees can look forward to a combination that promotes innovative ideas and service commitment, along with unprecedented choice, value and access to 30 leading brands across more than 100 countries.