Bajaj’s Qute quadricycle gets 1-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests

New Delhi: Bajaj Auto Ltd’s ambitious Qute quadricycle secured a one-star rating in crash tests performed by the Brussels-based Euro New Car Assessment Programme, or Euro NCAP, in a jolt to the automaker.

The best possible rating the quadricycle, a lightweight four-wheeled vehicle for intra-city travel, could have received in the crash tests is five stars.

Euro NCAP tested four quadricycles made by different companies. Bajaj’s Qute scored 10 out of a maximum 32. The product got four marks for front impact and six for side impact.

The crash test results of the selected vehicles—Aixam Crossover GTR, Bajaj Qute, Chatenet CH30 and Microcar M.GO Family—show that there are still fundamental problems with the quadricycle segment, the agency said in a press statement.

The crash tests were done at a speed of 50 km/hour.

“It is disappointing to see that quadricycles are still lacking the basic safety features that are common in small cars,” said Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of the Euro NCAP.

“By not challenging the manufacturers to do more, legislators continue to give a false impression to consumers that these vehicles are fit for the purpose.”

Euro NCAP said it had studied changes in this segment in the past two years and introduced a specific star rating for these vehicles to help consumers in their purchase decisions.

In response to a questionnaire, Bajaj Auto said that in its “maiden effort”, it has created “in Qute a quadricycle that is in the same league as European benchmarks”.

“But (it’s) also one that fares better than many international cars in their category. We believe that’s why Qute has had a good reception in about 20 markets. We do not have any other comment to make,” the firm said.

Bajaj’s quadricyle plan has been controversial, even in India where it has almost divided the industry. But the company has pressed ahead with it, touting the benefits of a vehicle that sits halfway between three-wheelers and small cars in terms of everything from price to comfort to fuel efficiency to safety to emissions.

Bajaj has been fighting a legal battle in India’s Supreme Court, which has stayed the introduction of Qute in the local market. The apex court is hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Automotive Engineers Association and the Auto-rickshaw Drivers Association questioning the safety of these vehicles and highlighting their potential to affect the livelihood of auto-rickshaw drivers. The government has told the Supreme Court that the vehicle will improve last-mile connectivity in the country.

In a passionate appeal #FreeTheQute, Bajaj Auto ran an advertisement in newspapers on 31 March in which it said, “Let’s not be dogmatic, India. Not every four-legged animal is a lion. Speed, weight and size are the defining characteristics of an automobile.”

In the ad, Bajaj Auto said that the Qute’s speed is restricted to 70 km/hour and the vehicle weighs 450kg. The company said that it exports the Qute to as many as 20 global markets.

Van Ratingen of Euro NCAP said that simple design changes could lead to significant improvements in these vehicles, with little added weight or cost.

“Pursuing an environmental agenda is not an excuse for unsafe vehicles. Therefore, Euro NCAP again calls for safety to be prioritized for heavy quadricycles,” he added.

Apurva Viswanath contributed to this story.