Hero MotoCorp was supposed to launch Vida electric scooter brand on July 1st. But due to global semiconductor shortages and the injunction raised by Hero Electric, it took quite a lot more time for Vida launch to happen. But Hero MotoCorp has won the case against Hero Electric and can now use the word “Hero” to market their EV products.
Both companies banking on the word “Hero” is likely to create some confusion among buyers. But Hero MotoCorp has created a new brand, a new logo and a whole new identity to negate most of that confusion. Vida is promising a different approach towards electric scooters with swappable battery tech.
Even though both Hero MotoCorp and Hero Electric are spawned from the same Munjal family, they have been different companies for decades. Now that they’re clashing in the same 2W EV segment, both had to witness legalities. But Vida is Hero MotoCorp’s first ever attempt at EVs while Hero Electric has been at it for a long time. In fact, Hero Electric is the highest-selling 2W EV manufacturer in the country.
Hero MotoCorp has registered various trademarks that revolve around the name Vida. This means that the company is planning to launch multiple products and associated services as well. Some of the trademarks are Vida Mobility, Vida Electric, Vida MotoCorp, Vida EV, Vida Motorcycles and Vida Scooters.
The debut of Hero MotoCorp’s Vida lineup is set to happen on October 7th. The company even launched a new teaser as well. With legal niggles with Hero Electric ironed out, Hero MotoCorp can now push ahead and get the products closer to launch. Coming to the range of 2W EV products that Vida will bring is not yet known. Hero MotoCorp has kept the details tightly wrapped and we haven’t seen any of the leaks and whatnot. That cannot be said about LML’s upcoming electric scooter that is likely to be called Star and also a pedaled electric motorcycle with USD forks and ADV-inspired design.
Coming to its powertrain, Hero Vida range is likely to get swappable batteries as revealed by the company. This comes courtesy of a strategic partnership with Gogoro, a Taiwanese-based company that has expertise in building and maintaining battery swapping infrastructure. Other partnerships include Ather Energy which is likely to provide its charging grid and equipment and a few other EV components.
Hero MotoCorp has always associated itself with value and affordability. If we take a look at Hero’s entire lineup, these attributes hold strong across the range. These attributes are also likely to be translated to its Vida electric scooter lineup as well. Coming from mainstream manufacturers, we can also expect quality engineering to some degree.
The main emphasis on EVs nowadays is on safety. Hero MotoCorp is likely to make a battery pack that packs some amount of fireproofing too. Given the price point at which Vida products are likely to come, we can’t expect fancy features that are found on startup electric scooters from Ola and Ather. In its latest teaser, Hero reveals that Vida can be charged at home, parking lot, and at their public charging stations.
Only, Hero doesn’t directly own public charging stations. This is where Gogoro and Ather are likely to come into picture. Hero Vida series will be unveiled on October 7th and a launch is likely to follow soon. More details will be revealed on October 7th. Rivals are in the form of TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak and upcoming Honda electric scooter among many.
This post was last modified on October 1, 2022 11:18 am