Hero Vida V1 Electric Scooter Review: Is it Really a Premium EV Scooter?

Hero Vida V1 electric scooter has been launched in India by the Hero MotoCorp and is positioned as the premium EV scooter by the company. Today, we are going to review the Vida V1 and tell you all that you need to know about the e-scooter.

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Highlights

► Hero Vida V1 comes in two variants: Vida V1 Plus & Vida V1 Pro

► Battery Options: Vida V1 Pro gets 3.94 kWh while Vida V1 Plus gets a 3.44 kWh battery pack.

► Hero Vida V1 gets a completely fresh and unique design

Hero MotoCorp is the latest of India's mass-market two-wheeler manufacturers to introduce an electric vehicle, and like Bajaj, they've chosen to do it under a distinct, premium EV sub-brand. Vida is the name of the new EV brand, while the V1 is the name of the scooter. The Vida V1 comes in two versions: V1 Plus and V1 Pro. The Pro is here, and the biggest difference between the two is the battery capacity. As a result, the majority of what you read here will apply to both models.

Also Read: Hero Vida Electric Scooter: Top 5 Things you Need to Know

Hero Vida V1 Performance

The Vida may not be the finest handling e-scooter on the market, but it is fairly good in terms of performance. With a top speed of around 80kph, it's not the quickest e-scooter on the market, but it's faster than most, and the performance should be more than adequate for city life.

The air-cooled swingarm-mounted motor produces a max of 6kW and the projected performance is comparable to that of the Ather 450X. The acceleration between 20-50kph seems extremely robust in Sport mode, however, the urgency fades beyond that. The scooter has an indicated top speed of slightly more than 80kph and showed no signs of thermal distress during our time with it. The scooter has an indicated top speed of slightly more than 80kph and showed no signs of thermal distress during our time with it.

The Vida V1 boasts a good range in addition to good performance. The battery in the V1 Pro is 3.94kWh, whereas the battery in the V1 Plus is 3.44kWh. Those figures are impressive, but what distinguishes the V1 from the competition is that the battery is divided into two replaceable sections that reside beneath the seat. Each battery weighs 11kg, so I doubt many people would use them on a regular basis, but it's wonderful to have the choice.

There are three ways to charge the Vida scooter. You can charge the scooter directly using the included home charger or you can remove the batteries and charge them outside. Finally, the scooter enables fast charging, and while Hero has stated that it will build up its own network, the V1 may also use Ather's fast charging network due to the similar connector design.

Hero Vida V1 Design

The Vida V1 has a completely fresh and unusual design. The most apparent feature is its aggressive appearance, which includes a low-mounted LED headlamp, wide bodywork, and a flyscreen on top. The huge swooping body panel and the distinctive split seat arrangement dominate the side appearance. The Vida features premium-looking switchgear and a 7-inch touchscreen TFT display from the rider's perspective.

The back is a little more unusual, with a lot of black plastic around the boot area. This is intended to be a modular system in which the black plastics and back seat can be removed, although the firm maintains that this capability will be accessible later. The boot space is currently 26 liters, which isn't segment-leading, but it's adequate. However, because the boot is divided into two portions, you can only store a tiny open-face helmet within.

Personally, I don't think the design is a deal breaker, but the quality and finish could be better. The problem is primarily with the feel and quality of plastics, which are abundant on this scooter. They were rough in some areas, and the panel gaps were uneven in others. The switches themselves are attractive, however, we discovered that the entire switchgear set shook up and down on the handlebar.

According to the firm, these are pre-production vehicles, and these flaws will be resolved by the time production vehicles are delivered to customers. This is something we'll keep an eye out for when we get a chance to thoroughly inspect the production-spec scooters on public roads. Nonetheless, while the quality may be better, the principles of comfort appear to be in place.

What features are there in Hero Vida V1?

Hero is pitching the Vida as a premium product, and they're including a slew of features to back that up. The scooter itself features all-LED illumination, keyless entry, cruise control, and follow-me-home lights. In the event of an emergency, a shielded SOS button on the handlebar can send an alert message via the mobile app. Furthermore, the app will enable a slew of capabilities that were not available for us to test during the launch ride.

While the scooter is already available, like with most other EVs, deliveries will take some time and will be limited to a select city at first. Bookings are already available, and delivery will begin in December, according to Hero. Sales will begin in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Jaipur, with further locations to follow.

Hero Vida V1 Price in India

The Vida V1 is clearly a well-equipped scooter, but that doesn't change the fact that this machine is priced a little too costly. The Vida V1 is priced at Rs 1.45 lakh ex-showroom, and the Vida V1 Pro is priced at Rs 1.59 lakh ex-showroom, both after the FAME 2 subsidy. These pricing place this scooter at the very top of the EV scooter market right now. The Hero appears to have taken inspiration from the Ather 450X and the Bajaj Chetak, both of which are performing fairly well at the moment despite being priced at roughly the same level.

The problem is that Hero has always been positioned in the market as a cost-effective, value-for-money solution, and they virtually always cost less than the competition. The Vida V1 is not only the most expensive Hero on the market today, but it also costs roughly double what the company charges for some of its petrol scooters, which I believe will be a struggle for the firm.

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