Bajaj quad RE60 gets European approval ahead of 25 September launch

India's first internal combustion engine quad (quadricycle) Bajaj RE60 has successfully passed the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EU WVTA) regulations, according to a statement.

Two- and three-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto will launch its four-passenger quadricycle RE60 on 25 September. The announcement was made in a statement by Bajaj Auto on Wednesday.

First unveiled at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, it is, allowed to be used only for commercial purposes.

"The certification makes the vehicle eligible for export to Europe and many other countries which recognise the EU WVTA standard without the need for any further tests", the statement said.

The RE 60 is powered by water cooled DTS-i four valve engine, with a maximum speed of 70km / hr.

Bajaj RE60 has a fuel efficiency of 35 km per litre and boasts of low carbon dioxide emissions of 60g per km. This vehicle will be offered in both CNG and LPG versions.

"These EU WVTA regulations are one of the world's toughest in terms of 'Safety and Environment'. The project was quite challenging and full credit for the successful certification to the untiring efforts of TUV Rheinland engineers, who are qualified and authorised by the European Approval Authorities (Ministry of Transport) to conduct the vehicle and component tests in India," Abraham Joseph, chief technology officer of Bajaj Auto, said.

The Bajaj RE60 is expected to be priced at just over that of a three-wheeler and below the most affordable car, the Tata Nano.  It is likely to be priced between Rs1.25 lakh and Rs2.5 lakh.

Rival five-seat Tata Magic Iris, however, is priced at Rs2.9 lakh, which is about a lakh mode than the price of a six-seat three-wheeler, while a four-seat three-wheeler costs about Rs1.5 lakh.

A series of litigation stalled the launch of quad and the Bajaj RE60 for about three years.

The PILs argued that though quads are four-wheelers, they are less safe and more polluting than a standard commercial four-wheeler. In addition, these kind of vehicles aren't subjected to crash tests, and they follow emission regulations that are applicable to two- and three-wheelers, not cars.

Quads will be permitted for use in intra-city transport, by complying to a set of specific rules like having it painted in a particular colour, installing a fare meter and fitting a display board on the vehicle that says 'quadricycle'.