Cheap Bolt service offers rides in a controversial quadricycle
Bolt recently launched a new service tier called Bolt Lite, which allows people who are not fussy about their mode of transportation to get a ride in South Africa’s cheapest “car” at a fraction of typical e-hailing rates.
The Bajaj Qute made headlines in 2021 after a widely-spread post stating that owning the “car” costs only R150 per month.
Due to its weight, engine power, and speed limitations, it is actually classified as a quadricycle or microcar.
The 400kg Qute is the result of a joint project between Bajaj Auto, Renault, and Nissan and was first launched in India in January 2012.
It features a 216cc (0.21-litre) single-cylinder engine that produces just 9.7kW of power and 18.9Nm torque. This gives it a top speed of 70km/h.
For reference, South Africa’s cheapest true car — the Suzuki S-Presso — has a 1.0-litre engine that generates 49kW and 89Nm torque.
However, the Qute is less than half the price of the entry-level S-Presso GL MT.
The microcar costs R85,000 and is also available on a rent-to-buy option at R650 per week.
At those prices, it creates an opportunity for people with little financial means to get into the e-hailing business.
The Qute’s claimed fuel consumption of just 2.86 litres per 100km — or about 35km per litre — makes it even more attractive to budget e-hailing drivers.
Even so, you will have to refuel more frequently than when using any car in South Africa, as its 8-litre tank capacity will only provide a maximum range of 280km.
Bolt regional manager for East and Southern Africa, Takura Malaba, told MyBroadband that the Lite service is currently only available in Randburg, Parktown, Melville, Linden, Braamfontein, and Rosebank.
“We will continue to assess the performance of this category before further expanding into other parts of Johannesburg,” Bolt stated.
It said the effective cost of the service was R10 per kilometre.
For one short trip between Randburg Square and a BP fuel station in Linden, we were charged R38, excluding a 50% promotional discount applicable to our particular account.
Over the same route, the standard Bolt, Bolt Go sedan, and Bolt Go Hatch services options were priced at R48, R47, and R45.
In that instance, the Lite option was between 18.4% and 26.3% cheaper than those tiers.
Previous comparisons between Bolt and Uber have shown that the former is generally the cheapest service.
Bolt Lite allows for a maximum of one passenger per trip, despite the Qute offering space for up to three people in addition to the driver. This is seemingly to avoid increasing its fuel consumption.
The screenshots below show an estimate for Bolt fares between our two chosen destinations and a short description of the service.
The South African E-hailing Association’s Vhatuka Mbelengwa has raised concerns over using the quadricycles in an interview with Sunday newspaper Rapport.
Mbelengwa said the Bolt Lite service undermined the entire public transport sector and was a disaster waiting to happen.
He explained that the taxi industry would likely launch violent attacks against the Qute, as they would steal business from other operators.
“Give it a week or two, there will be absolute chaos,” he said.
He also took serious issue with the safety features of the quadricycle.
“I would not even buy it for my child as a toy; there are turns in Republic Avenue where it will tip over,” he told Rapport.
The Bajaj Qute scored a measly 28% for adult occupant safety in the 2016 Euro NCAP ratings, earning just one out of five stars.
Aside from seatbelts, it features virtually no safety features like airbags or belt load-limiters.
The testers found the structure of the Qute was “unstable in the frontal crash tests — conducted at 50km/h.
“Many spot welds had released, and deformation of the structure indicated that it could not have withstood a higher degree of loading,” they commented.
“There is no frontal airbag to protect the driver, and dummy readings indicated a high probability of serious or fatal injury in a human as a result of this contact.”
For the side impact, the force with which the testing dummy’s head struck the side roof rail also suggested a high probability of serious or fatal injury.
TopAuto previously raised concerns over the Qute’s driving stability after hands-on time with the vehicle in 2021.
“Around the first corner, I was going nearly half the top speed of the car, and the fear of tipping over settled in immediately,” TopAuto’s journalist wrote.
“Even a slight turn on the tiny steering wheel registers at the front wheels, since they are less than a metre away and connected via a direct driveshaft.”
“The short track width and the fact that the car is much taller than it is wide does not exactly inspire confidence.”
The ride of the vehicle is also described as “rough” but not terrible, but sound insulation is virtually non-existent.
Malaba told MyBroadband that the areas where the Qute currently operates do not allow for high speed.
He also listed several safety features that Bolt offered to help ease riders’ concerns:
- Drivers and passengers can access an emergency response service from the Automobile Association of South Africa integrated into the app. Activating this service shares the driver’s details and location with AA’s 24/7 contact centre and then deploys private security and emergency services immediately.
- The Bajaj vehicles are also fitted with a physical emergency button that drivers can use when they feel unsafe over and above the existing SOS functionality that the Bolt App provides
- Free trauma counselling is available to drivers and passengers following any traumatic incident while using the platform through Bolt’s partner Oaksure.
- Drivers and passengers are covered at no cost by Bolt Trip Protection — an insurance cover that provides for emergency medical expenses, permanent disability, and death caused by an incident while on a Bolt trip.
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