New Hero MotoCorp electric scooter is getting ready for launch next year – It has been designed and developed at the company’s R&D centre in Jaipur, Rajasthan
The entire global automotive industry is shifting towards electric mobility and the transition has started to take rapid steps. In India too, multiple new offerings in the electric vehicle space have been launched already, especially in the two-wheeler segment.
However, the largest player in the two-wheeler segment hasn’t yet forayed into electric mobility. That said, Hero MotoCorp will soon be launching its first electric vehicle and some fresh details regarding the upcoming battery-powered two-wheeler have surfaced online. As we already know, this two-wheeler is expected to be launched by March 2022.
Hero MotoCorp VIDA Electric
Hero MotoCorp cannot use the ‘Hero’ brand for its upcoming battery-powered vehicles since Hero Electric, a separate EV manufacturing entity, holds exclusive rights for this brand in the EV segment. They are expected to launch an all new sub-brand, under which they will sell their range of upcoming electric scooters and motorcycles.
Recently, Hero MotoCorp has registered multiple names with the name VIDA. The names that have been registered by Hero MotoCorp include – VIDA Electric, VIDA EV, VIDA Mobility, VIDA MotoCorp, VIDA Scooters and VIDA Motorcycles.
It is likely that Hero will start its EV journey with an e-scooter which could be launched the first product under their ‘Vida Electric’ brand. The bikemaker has filed a trademark for this brand which is likely to serve as a sub-brand catering to only battery-powered vehicles.
To be built in Chittoor
The upcoming e-scooter will be manufactured at the company’s latest manufacturing facility located in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. Images of the upcoming e-scooter were leaked on the internet after Hero MotoCorp live-streamed its 10th anniversary celebration in August this year.
Aptly called Garden Factory for its eco-friendly and sustainable manufacturing practices, this plant will provide an integrated ecosystem for Battery Pack Manufacturing and Testing, Vehicle Assembly, and Vehicle End of Line Testing (EOL). It is also the youngest facility of Hero which started operations in March 2020.
Gogoro & Battery Swapping Tech
From the images leaked earlier, the e-scooter didn’t seem to share any noticeable element with Gogoro electric scooters. For the uninitiated, Gogoro is a Taiwan-based EV manufacturer with whom Hero MotoCorp has announced a partnership earlier this year. Through this joint venture, the Indian bikemaker could make use of battery swapping technology of Gogoro in its upcoming electric two-wheelers.
The upcoming Hero Vida electric scooter will sport a more conventional design unlike the ones offered by Gogoro. Some striking highlights of the Hero e-scooter are a single-sided rear suspension and a seemingly mid-mounted motor, Unlike Gogoro electric scooters, the e-scooter from Hero MotoCorp misses out on double-sided swingarms.
The Hero e-scooter gets black embellishments on the handlebar, side and rear fenders and floorboard which give it a dual-tone colour theme that looks very sporty. Other notable styling highlights include a long split seat, a short flyscreen and curvy bodywork. The pillion seat is detachable which is intended for use in last-mile services.
