Bajaj Sunny to make a comeback as an electric scooter
Bajaj Auto is planning to resurrect the beloved Sunny scooter, but this time as an electric vehicle, fresh spy shots of the test mule have emerged. The original Sunny was a compact two-stroke scooter that was quite popular in the 1990s.
The spy shots of the upcoming Sunny EV showcase a design that pays homage to its predecessor. The scooter boasts a nostalgic round headlamp, generous front fender, slim floorboard and a distinctive boxy tail-lamp. These design elements remind us of the original Sunny and the overall compact size of the scooter will definitely find a lot of new buyers.
While many features closely resemble the original, there are notable differences. Gone is the exhaust pipe (of course) and the scooter no longer carries a spare tyre on the floorboard. In its place, there appears to be a substantial battery pack, although this could be exclusive to early test models and may not make it to the production version.
The original Sunny was powered by a 60cc two-stroke engine, delivering less than 3 HP. The electric Sunny is expected to offer similar performance, but with the advantage of electric torque, it should excel in low-speed acceleration and handling heavier loads.
One distinctive feature of the upcoming Sunny EV is the hub-mounted motor. Its compact size suggests that it will be built on a platform separate from the larger Bajaj Chetak. It is highly likely that this new Sunny will be based on the Bajaj-developed Yulu platform, which currently serves as the foundation for vehicles like the Dex GR and Miracle GR.
Unlike Yulu vehicles, which are limited to a maximum speed of 25 km/hr and don’t require a two-wheeler license, the new Bajaj Sunny EV is expected to offer more performance. While the battery size remains unknown, it’s expected to be smaller than the Chetak’s 2.9 kWh unit, and there’s speculation that it could feature a removable battery, which is a first for Bajaj EVs.
As of now, there is no official confirmation of when Bajaj intends to launch the new Sunny EV. However, considering the evolving landscape of EV subsidies and the increasing relevance of smaller, affordable electric scooters for short, in-city commutes, the timing seems favourable for such a release.
