It’s no secret that electric scooters are having a moment in India. You see them buzzing through traffic, gliding past petrol pumps with the quiet confidence of something that doesn’t need fuel. And the numbers back that up. If the forecasts hold, the EV scooter market might touch nearly $30 billion by 2034, growing at over 33% a year. That’s transformative.
But here’s the catch: more scooters doesn’t mean it’s easier to pick one. In fact, it’s the opposite. Every few weeks, a new model drops with slightly better numbers, flashier ads, and just enough jargon to make you second-guess what really matters.
Let’s cut through the noise. If you’re trying to figure out the best electric scooters in India worth your money, here are the features that actually count. We’ll also look at how two of Bajaj’s recent entries, the Chetak 3501 and 3502, stack up.
Range: Can It Get You Where You’re Going?
This is probably the first thing you’ll check, and for good reason. Range is about freedom. It’s knowing whether you can get through a week of commutes without hunting for a socket or worrying about a flat battery halfway to work.
Both the Chetak 3501 and 3502 claim a range of 153 km on a single charge. That’s solid. For most city users, it means charging every four or five days. It also means you can go a little further on the weekends without planning your trip around charging stations. The 3502 doesn’t offer extra distance, but it does give you smarter battery management, which helps with reliability over time.
Charging Time: Because Nobody Likes Waiting Around
Charging speed doesn’t get as much attention as range, but it should. A long wait to recharge, even if it only happens once in a while, can turn a good scooter into a headache.
The Chetak 3501 goes from zero to 80% in about three hours. That’s enough to plug in at night and wake up ready to go. The 3502 takes just under 25 minutes longer, which won’t make a huge difference unless you’re rushing. Both charge from a regular home socket. No fancy wall unit. No extra bill.
Speed and Ride Feel: Is It Just Fast, or Is It Fun?
Electric scooters aren’t just about utility. You also want something that feels right under you. Something that pulls smoothly when the signal turns green and doesn’t struggle to overtake when it needs to.
Top speed for both models is 73 km/h, which is about the sweet spot for urban riding. Fast enough to keep up, not so fast it starts to feel reckless. The 3501 includes app-level ride customisation, so you can tweak your settings for comfort or control. Both offer a quick start, which is probably more useful in traffic than headline speeds anyway.
Safety: What Keeps You on the Road (and Out of Trouble)
Safety tech isn’t just about what happens in an emergency. It’s about small moments. Tight corners, surprise stops, slick roads. These are the moments that decide whether your ride feels secure or shaky.
Both scooters include regenerative braking, which helps recharge the battery while slowing down. It’s subtle, but you feel it when gliding to a stop. The 3502 goes a step further with geo-fencing, remote lock, and crash alerts. If you’re the type to worry about theft or like knowing your ride can text you in an emergency, that’s a big bonus.
Build and Durability: Does It Feel Like It’ll Last?
You can always tell a rushed scooter from a well-built one. It’s in the way the panels fit, how the suspension handles potholes, and whether it still feels tight after a month of riding.
The Chetak 3501 uses a metal body that’s made for Indian roads. No rattling. No creaky panels after one rainy season. The 3502 matches that toughness but adds better water protection and weather sealing, which helps if you’re riding through coastal humidity or regular downpours.
Smart Features: Do They Help, or Just Look Good on Paper?
This is where electric scooters start to feel more like gadgets. The question is whether those features genuinely improve your life or just clutter up your phone.
The 3501 gives you the basics: ride stats, battery tracking, and a way to find the nearest charger, all through an app. That’s plenty for most people.
The 3502 builds on that with remote diagnostics, real-time crash detection, and trip analytics. It’s the kind of setup that appeals to people who like data and want to know how efficiently they’re riding. Not essential, but undeniably useful if you’re into that sort of thing.
Cost and Overall Value
The Chetak 3501 keeps things affordable without stripping away useful features. It’s dependable, smart enough, and priced for real-world budgets. The 3502 costs more, but it earns that extra price with a genuinely premium feel, especially when it comes to tech and safety.
What matters more is what kind of rider you are. If you want something simple and strong that won’t let you down, go with the 3501. If you’re looking for a smart, connected scooter that acts more like a silent co-pilot, the 3502 makes sense.
Choosing an electric scooter is about trust. Can this machine carry you through your day without friction?
Both of these Chetak models deliver on the fundamentals: long range, smooth rides, and real-world reliability. One is the no-fuss daily workhorse. The other is a smarter, slightly fancier version built for those who want more control.
Either way, you’re not picking from a crowd of compromises. You’re choosing from options that, finally, feel made for how we actually move.
