Fresh photos of a scooter on test reveal that Bajaj is planning to bring the Sunny scooter back, but this time as an EV.
- Sunny EV will be positioned lower than the Chetak
- Uses a simpler hub-mounted motor
- Likely to be based on Bajaj-developed Yulu platform
The Bajaj Sunny was a small and cheerful two-stroke scooter that was sold in the mid-1990s. These new images suggest that the manufacturer is bringing the Sunny back to life with a design that's very close to the original.
The overall shape is highly reminiscent of the original Sunny, with a round headlamp, a large front fender, a slim floorboard and a boxy-looking tail-lamp. The space occupied by the test rider shows that this will be a similarly cute and compact scooter, and that it has numerous other resemblances to the original. These include the three-spoke wheels, trailing arm front suspension, drum brakes and even the rear grab handle/carrier.
The main differences are that there is no exhaust pipe on the right side and the Bajaj Sunny EV does not have a spare tyre mounted on the floorboard. In place of the spare wheel is what appears to be a large battery pack, although it is unlikely that something like this will make it to production and this could be solely for the early test mules.
The original Sunny was powered by a 60cc two-stroke engine that made less than 3hp. Performance was humble and the new electric Sunny will probably offer similar performance, although the EV's torque should enable stronger low-speed acceleration and better load carrying capability – like the extra weight of a passenger.
The new Sunny was spotted with a hub motor and its overall size suggests that it is based on a completely different platform to the bigger Bajaj Chetak. It is likely that the new Bajaj Sunny will be based on the Yulu platform, which is engineered and manufactured entirely by Bajaj. The Yulu platform is currently used on the Dex GR – primarily a last mile delivery vehicle – as well as the Miracle GR, which is sold for personal use. Click here to read more about the Yulus.
While the Yulus are restricted to 25kph and do not require a two-wheeler licence, that is not likely to be the case with the new Bajaj Sunny. The vehicle we photographed accelerated away from the traffic lights quite briskly and seemed to hit about 40-50kph. Battery size is unknown, but expect it to be much smaller than the Chetak's 2.9kWh unit. It is also possible that this could be the first Bajaj EV with a removable battery.
There is no clear indication of if (or when) Bajaj intends to bring the new Sunny EV to the market. The fact that it has only just been spied testing means that there is still some time to go and we could be looking at a launch in the next year or two.
However, with an ever changing FAME 2 subsidy as well as the looming possibility of a subsidy-free future, smaller and more affordable EVs are starting to make more sense for those who have short, in-city commutes.
Bajaj has already used its heritage well in the resurrection of the Chetak. If they were to introduce a smaller, simpler EV, the Sunny name and face should strike another warm and nostalgic note with the market.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
