Bajaj has launched a new class of vehicle, the Qute quadricycle. Originally called the RE60, the vehicle underwent a change of name based on customer input from various countries. The vehicle is classified as a quadricycle, a sub-group of the light commercial vehicle (LCV) class. As of now, the Qute will be exported to 16 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. It will not be sold in India because of an approval pending from the Supreme Court. The Qute, though, has been cleared for the European WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) certification awarded by RDW Netherlands.
Positioned as an alternative to the auto-rickshaw, the Qute is powered by a water-cooled 4-valve DTS-i petrol motor that displaces 200cc. The single-cylinder engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Bajaj claims a top speed of 70kmph and a fuel efficiency of 36kmpl. The company adds that the carbon emission from the Qute is only 66g per kilometre.
Abraham Joseph, CTO of Bajaj Auto said, “We have applied all our two-wheeler expertise of light weight vehicle engineering and super-efficient powertrain technology based on DTS-i, to create the Qute. We use a high strength steel body along with impact resistant plastic closures to achieve this. The small displacement high performance 4-valve engine uses closed loop fuel injection and triple spark ignition. Coupled with the 5-speed gear box, it gives outstanding fuel efficiency and emission performance. The engine is water cooled for long life.”
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