Bajaj hits back saying it's not a cheap car

The RE60 developed by Bajaj is not promoted as passenger car by the company

A day after Tata Motors managing director Karl Slym raised questions for the need of quadricycles, Pune-based Bajaj Auto, which is pioneering the quadricycle project, has stated that its RE60 is not a low-cost car.

Slym termed the proposed formation of a new segment called quadricycle, on which the government has even set up a committee, a step backwards with regards to traffic safety and environment.

The RE60 developed by Bajaj is not promoted as passenger car by the company but an improvement over the three-wheeler.

Bajaj hinted that the slowing demand for the Nano is a clear indication that low cost cars are not what consumers want.

"The cheaper car - ie Nano - offers nothing but a lower price and sales data appears to tell us quite clearly how deep that strategy runs with customers", stated a spokesperson from Bajaj Auto.

Bajaj claims that ten years ago when the quadricycle project was proposed to the government by TVS Motors the aim was to produce an ultra low-cost car. This time, however, the idea is to progressively replace the three-wheeler (commonly known as autorickshaw).

Chennai-based TVS Motors Chairman and managing director Venu Srinivasan claimed that it was Bajaj Auto who had resisted the idea of quadricycle when TVS Motors had proposed for it to the government about ten years ago.

"In the past the quadricycle proposal was for a cheaper car. This time Bajaj's RE60 proposal is for a superior 3 wheleer. Two diametrically different idea but both requiring creation of a new category", added the spokesperson.

Rajiv Bajaj, managing director, Bajaj Auto has consistently stated that the quadricycle is a three wheeler with an additional fourth wheel, promoting the idea of a safer urban travel compared to traditional three-wheelers.

Responding to this argument Slym stated in his tweet today, "The number of wheels do not automatically make us better, it is adherence to tried and tested safety and emission norms".

The Indian safety norms for off-set frontal crash are almost 15 years behind when compared to Europe norms for cars, challenges Bajaj Auto.

Bajaj is ready with its product, which it says qualifies through all parameters to be called as quadricycle as it is developed on the lines of the European regulations for such products.

The government, which had set up a committee for checking launch feasibility of quadricycle in India later gave an in-principle approval for creation of this new class of four-wheelers.

Not just Bajaj but other companies such as Piaggio, Mahindra & Mahindra, Eicher to name a few have also evinced interest in this project.

The quadricycle does not fall under any of the existing vehicle segments and requires the government to form new set of rules and regulations for the same.