Bike India

Best Bikes in India | No.1 Two Wheeler Magazine

  • Home
  • News
    • Upcoming Launches
    • Latest News
    • New Bike Launches
  • Reviews
    • First Ride
    • Road Test
    • Comparison
  • Features
  • Our Bikes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • NG Auto
    • AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
    • CAR INDIA
    • COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
  • Brands

Hero Vida V1 Pro First Ride Review — Late, Yet Latest

October 15, 2022 by Joshua Varghese Leave a Comment

The Vida V1 Pro is late to the electric party but its arrival has sparked interest. We went to Jaipur to make its acquaintance.

Hero Vida V1 Pro

Story: Joshua Varghese
Photography: Hero MotoCorp

They say good things come to those who wait and we have been waiting for a long time to see Hero’s electric scooter. As one of the largest manufacturers of two-wheelers in the world, Hero MotoCorp’s entry into the EV market in India may just be the confirmation some of us were waiting for. Yes, electric scooters have definitely arrived and the migration from petrol to electricity is only going to gain momentum. The Vida V1 range will spearhead that effort for Hero.

  • Hero Vida V1 Pro
  • Hero Vida V1 Pro
  • Hero Vida V1 Pro

We were invited to Hero’s research and development facility in Jaipur to experience the scooter at their performance and handling circuits. On the design front, the Vida V1 will certainly turn heads, start conversations and maybe even arguments. Familiar as it may seem, there are many aspects of the bodywork that are a departure from the conventional fare. The LED headlight is in the middle of the front apron, normal enough but the apron itself has a split shape; something that is not commonly seen. Instead of a single-piece seat, the Vida gets a split unit. It sits atop a tail-end that appears more utilitarian than elegant but the paint schemes on offer do a good job of improving the appeal. Overall, the styling may appeal to some instantly but I feel most will need time to come to terms with it.

  • Hero Vida V1 Pro
  • Hero Vida V1 Pro
  • Hero Vida V1 Pro

All the information the rider needs is available at a glance thanks to the seven-inch touchscreen. With crisp colours and a neat layout, it packs a lot of useful information that is easily accessible. The switchgear is simple to use and while the quality of plastic is nothing to complain about, it does not feel premium. The same can be said of the mirrors and seat as well. The latter feels rather flimsy when opened and needs to be placed in a certain way before the latch can click into place. That feels like a step back from the seat-lock mechanisms we have grown accustomed to. Of the two cavities under the seat, the one directly below the rider houses the batteries while the one below the pillion can be used for storage. The metal struts on which the seat rests limits convenient access to this space but it is otherwise spacious and capable of managing a grocery run with ease.

  • Hero Vida V1 Pro
  • Hero Vida V1 Pro

The battery capacity on the Vida V1 Pro is slightly higher than the Plus variant — 3.94 kWh, to be precise — and it is distributed between two removable batteries. That is one of this scooter’s unique points. The batteries can be charged separately and the scooter is capable of being powered by a single unit also. When charging at home, Vida claim that 0-80 per cent charge can be achieved in five hours and 55 minutes and fast charging to the tune of 1.2 km per minute is also possible. The combined range of the battery is supposed to be 165 km but we are yet to test that for ourselves.

Hero Vida V1 Pro

The motor, controller and transmission (reduction ratio) are integrated into one swingarm-mounted unit. The motor’s peak power output is six kW (8.2 hp) and to understand how that translates into on-road performance, yours truly utilised the long straights of the performance track. It was instantly evident that the Vida V1 is not a performance scooter but it was not a dull thing either. The throttle response was crisp and the power delivery was linear. The Vida V1 accelerated strongly from 0-40 km/h and eventually maxed out at 80 km/h. Based on that experience, I believe Hero have found that fine line that allows them to offer good performance while also maximising range and I cannot wait to check it out in traffic.

Hero Vida V1 Pro

If the few laps around the handling circuit are anything to go by, then I feel that the Vida V1 will do well in the real world too. The scooter responds to steering input well, turns in nicely and remains composed throughout the corner; all traits that are indispensable for an agile urban runabout. Braking is also adequate, supplemented with the safety of the combined braking system.

Hero Vida V1 Pro

To summarise the Vida V1 Pro in a few words, it is apt to say that Hero’s first EV product does not disappoint but having arrived late to the party it is not particularly ground-breaking either. However, the fact that Hero have invested in a removable battery set-up shows that they have understood the challenges faced by the consumer and that should foster faith among its loyal clientele while also attracting everyone who has been sitting on the fence about electric scooters. The V1 Pro costs Rs 1.59 lakh (ex-showroom) which is Rs 14,000 more than the Plus for what seems to be just additional range. If you can live with the claimed range of 143 km that the Plus offers, then that appears to be the better buy. Oh, for the first phase of sales, the Vida V1 is limited to Delhi, Jaipur and Bengaluru.

Also Read: Chetak 2022 Update

Joshua Varghese – who has written 580 posts on Bike India.


Email

Related posts:

Hero MotoCorp And Zero Motorcycles Collaborate For Premium Electric Motorcycles
2023 Triumph Street Triple 765 R and RS First Ride Review
Reise Moto TrailR Tyre Test

Filed Under: First Ride, Hero Moto Corp, Review Tagged With: bike, electric, ev, First Ride, Hero, India, latest, new, news, review, scooter, v1 pro, vida

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AlphaOmega Captcha Classica  –  Enter Security Code
 ⟲    ➴
 


MARCH 2023

Bike India - India's no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

17TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Bike India - India's no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

Anniversary Ride to the Isle of Man with Freddie Spencer and Sid Lal

TVS Ntorq Ncounters I – Navigating the Night

BMW G 310 GS Explores Nagaland

SPECIAL Featured Story

Yamaha MT-10 SP – Ready for Road, Track, and Touring

Yamaha MT-10 SP – Ready for Road, Track, and Touring

In recent years, however, the MT-10 has begun to show its age, especially in terms of technology and rider aids. It was always on the thirsty side, too, and, by modern standards, the brakes were lacking. It was time for an update, which is why for 2022 Yamaha introduced a new MT-10 earlier this year.

More about this.

Car India and Bike India Awards 2019

Recent Posts

  • Royal Enfield 650 Twins Get Cast Alloy Wheels and Other Updates
  • Bajaj Pulsar NS200 And NS160 Gets USD Forks
  • MARCH 2023
  • Hero MotoCorp And Zero Motorcycles Collaborate For Premium Electric Motorcycles

Car India

Car India Magazine - Get your Digital Subscription

Latest News

Royal Enfield 650 Twins Get Cast Alloy Wheels and Other Updates

Bajaj Pulsar NS200 And NS160 Gets USD Forks

Hero MotoCorp And Zero Motorcycles Collaborate For Premium Electric Motorcycles

Massive New Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle 135 Crate Engines

Subscribe to Car India

Subscribe to our Car India Magazine

Bike India: India’s no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

BIKE India covers the two-wheeler industry in its entirety, both from the local and the international perspective. Also delivers the most definitive verdict on machinery and performance by explaining the hows, whys, and whats on every new bike in a lucid and user-friendly manner. BIKE India is the India’s most authoritative two-wheeler publication, a magazine for people with a passion for bikes and everything to do with their history and heritage.
SiteMap

Copyright © 2023 · BIKE INDIA INDIA’S NO. 1 TWO WHEELER MAGAZINE, BY FAR! ·