Hero Vida V1 Review - 6 Likes & 4 Dislikes

Hero MotoCorp commences its EV journey with a new brand and a new product 

The year 2022 has been the year of EVs especially when one considers the Indian two-wheeler space. Every other month there has been one new product or brand being introduced, but when India's largest two-wheeler manufacturer enters the EV market, you better take notice. 

Hero MotoCorp has made a smashing entry into the segment with the Vida brand. The Vida V1 electric scooter is available in two variants and here’s what we liked and disliked about the new electric scooter from the house of Hero. 

Likes

1 Multiple charging options

While most EVs in India have a single charging option, the Vida V1 can be charged using three options. The first is your basic charger that is located under the seat and the electric scooter can be charged using the portable charger provided. 

The Vida V1 also has a fast-charging option and it’s the same unit that one finds on the Ather 450X. This means Vida owners can utilise the 550 plus Ather charging points spread across over 50 cities in India. Once Hero is able to set the Vida charging network, Ather owners will be able to use the same, which is a very smart move. 

2. Removable battery

The most interesting feature of the Vida V1 is the fact that it’s the only premium electric scooter to feature removable battery tech. This means you can remove both the batteries and charge them in your home or even at your office desk. This will come as a boon for consumers who don’t have their personal parking spot.

Each battery pack is hefty at 11.5kg, and for charging both the batteries you will have to buy the optional home charger connector separately. Additionally one can even ride the Vida V1 with a single battery pack, but then the top speed is limited to 65kmph. 

3. Range

The Hero Vida V1 Pro packs a larger 3.94kWh battery and, as a result, has a claimed IDC range of 164km, which is quite impressive. The Vida V1 Plus on the other hand boasts a claimed IDC range of 143km. How does the new Hero electric scooter compare against its rivals? Find the answer in the below table.

You can also check out the differences between the Vida V1 Pro and Plus variants in the following table. 

4. Styling

I personally liked the sporty and modern styling of the Vida V1. In fact the best compliment that we can give the electric scooter is that it doesn’t resemble an e-scooter and looks more like a conventional ICE scooter. The Vida V1 gets all-LED lighting and I particularly like the BMW-inspired LED DRLs. 

The floating apron gives it a unique appearance, but I am not a big fan of the tail section. The diamond-cut alloy wheels make the scooter look pretty premium. All the body panels are made up of fibre and the Bajaj Chetak is the only electric scooter to sport metal body panels. 

5. Features

Hero has loaded the Vida V1 with a bunch of features and the interesting bit is that the list of features is common for both variants. The first thing that you will notice is the large TFT touch screen which also gets a night mode. The touch functionality is good and even the UI is pretty simple and straightforward. 

Some interesting features of the electric scooter include parking assist, cruise control, four riding modes, SOS button (in case of an emergency or crash) and geo-fencing. Under-seat storage space is 26 litres which is quite generous and one can fit an ISI-approved full face helmet in the stowage. 

6. Trust

Now, trust and EVs are two words that don’t necessarily sound well together in the Indian context but that’s what Hero wants to change with the Vida V1. It’s the first electric scooter in India to be sold with a buyback policy. Customers can reclaim almost 70 per cent of the cost if they wish to return the scooter within the first 18 months of ownership and this is very impressive. 

Also, Vida will be offering prospective buyers a three-day test window before finalising their purchase plans. And finally apart from RSA, Vida is also offering roadside repair service in which a technician will try to fix your scooter at the location that you select. All the above facilities are a first for any Indian two-wheeler on sale in India let alone an EV. 

Dislikes 

1. Price 

With the Vida V1 we were expecting Hero to bring about a revolution in the EV segment with respect to pricing and the marque has managed to do so for all the wrong reasons. The Vida V1 Pro is the most expensive electric scooter on sale in India. Yes, it is a premium product and comes bundled with a bunch of features, but it’s a product from Hero MotoCorp, a brand renowned for its value proposition. 

Hence the price tag comes as a sour surprise and we would have liked a more affordable sticker price, at least as an introductory offer. Making life even more difficult for the Vida V1 is Ola’s asking price for its EV. The Ola S1 is priced at Rs 1 lakh and the upcoming Ola S1 Lite will carry a sticker price of under Rs 80,000. 

2. Quality

While the asking price is quite premium, sadly that isn’t the case with the fit and finish levels of the electric scooter. We could see inconsistent panel gaps, rough finish on many body panels and the overall quality of the scooter is very disappointing for a product coming from a parent company like Hero MotoCorp. 

While the switchgear design is very funky, the quality of switches aren’t that great. Vida officials mentioned that the scooters we rode were pre-production units and the final production (deliveries for which will commence in December) will have better finish. 

3. Performance

Ok, the performance of the Vida V1 isn’t bad by any means and we could also clock its 80kmph top speed on the test track. But my problem is that the Vida V1 isn’t setting any new benchmarks in the segment. The Ola S1 Pro not only offers quicker acceleration but also has a higher top speed too. 

The Vida V1 is offered with four riding modes - Eco, Ride, Sport and Custom. Riders can customise the Custom ride mode via an app and change the regen and acceleration settings. Despite its heavy kerb weight of 125kg, the Vida V1 offers impressive handling dynamics and it was a joy to ride around the handling section at the Hero CIT test track. 

4. Restricted availability

The Hero Vida V1 is only available in three cities currently - Delhi, Bengaluru and Jaipur. This is really disappointing, as from a brand like Hero MotoCorp one expects a pan-India launch, something that we haven’t seen from any other EV maker. 

The scooters will also be sold through exclusive Vida experience centres and not Hero MotoCorp dealerships, which is again disappointing given the fact that Hero boasts the largest dealership network in the country. Vida officials did confirm that they will go on sale in eight additional cities by December.

Verdict

From the Vida V1 we were expecting a revolution and it hasn’t delivered on that end. As a product, the Vida V1 is very impressive and hard to fault. It offers respectable performance, good range and a whole bunch of features. 

But, one can’t sideline the fact that it’s the most expensive electric scooter on sale and doesn’t set any new benchmarks. The USP of the Vida V1 is the removable battery tech which makes it a great choice for people who don’t have personal parking space. 

Another aspect that works strongly in favour of the Vida V1 is the assurance and respect that its parent company Hero MotoCorp commands among the Indian masses.

So, if you want a no-nonsense electric scooter that comes with the trust factor (a rare commodity in the Indian EV space) and don’t mind shelling out the extra premium, the Vida V1 is a good option for you.