With electric two-wheelers rapidly gaining popularity across Asia, there's no wonder why manufacturers are scrambling to get their own electric runabouts on the road. At present, a lot of these take the form of utility-focused scooters designed to offer maximum convenience and efficiency. In India, Hero MotoCorp recently entered this space with the launch of Vida, its all-electric subsidiary.
Currently, the Vida V1 is the flagship product of this new company, and as of January, 2023, deliveries of the new scooter had already begun. That being said, Hero MotoCorp is one of the most established motorcycle manufacturers in India, so it's certainly in its best interest to make sure that Vida performs really well, too. Indeed, the brand has its sights set on expansion in up to 100 cities across India. All of this is planned to happen before the end of 2023.
While this goal indeed seems audacious, it's important to remember that Hero MotoCorp already has a wide dealership network across India. All it takes is to tap into this network, and equip them with the equipment and knowhow when it comes to the V1 electric scooter. As of this writing, Vida has already expanded into key Indian cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Nashik, Hyderabad, Chennai, Calicut, and Kochi. Prior to launching in these cities, the brand opened its doors in Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Delhi.
As for the scooter itself, well, it's a pretty impressive machine, and on paper, has what it takes to go up against some of the big fish in the Indian electric two-wheeler market. Offered in two versions, Plus and Pro, both scooters are designed with convenience and practicality in mind. The Pro version offers a bit more oomph, zipping to 25 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds. The Plus model, meanwhile, takes 3.4 seconds to hit 25 miles per hour, while both scoots are limited to 50 miles per hour. The V1 Pro boasts a larger 3.94-kilowatt-hour battery pack, giving riders a few extra miles of range.
In terms of pricing and availability, the Vida V1 Plus retails at Rs 119,900, which translates to about $1,467 USD. Meanwhile, the V1 Pro is slightly more expensive at Rs 139,900, or about $1,711 USD. Prices are already inclusive of India's FAME II government subsidy, and include a portable charger, as well.
