Betting big on Vida
Autocar Professional|15th October 2022
Hero MotoCorp has launched its first EV-the Vida e-scooter and it is not a 'me-too' in a crowded market of legacy and start-ups. Amit Vijay M reports after attending the launch event in Jaipur.
Amit Vijay M
Betting big on Vida

Hero MotoCorp, the world's largest ICE two-wheeler manufacturer and a market leader in India has big under a new brand umbrella called Vida. Having first revealed plans early in 2021, it is the third of the big three ICE OEMs, after Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor, to do so.

The EV strategy for the company picked up pace this year on March 3, in Dubai, when Dr Pawan Munjal, chairman and CEO, announced 'Vida, Powered by Hero' as the new brand under which Hero MotoCorp's initiatives for emerging mobility solutions were to be introduced.

The Hero Vida e-scooter was to have originally been launched on July 1, 2022 to coincide with the birth anniversary of Dr Brijmohan Lal, the late founder and chairman of the Hero Group. But the launch plans were put on hold due to enormous supply chain issues.

Thus, it was that on October 7, the two e-scooters - Vida V1 Plus and Vida V1 Pro-priced at Rs 1,45,000 and Rs 1,59,000 respectively, were revealed at an elaborate Vida brand and product launch at the company's Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Dr Munjal said: Vida, meaning 'life', is a promise of a better world. The Vida VI will play a crucial role by reducing tailpipe emissions, promoting eco-friendly behaviour and leading to a conscious shift in overall consumption patterns. We must redesign the entire value system and ecosystem of a product and service to have meaningful results for the future of our planet.

The Vida electric scooters have been designed and co-developed at Hero's R&D hubs - CIT in Jaipur and the Hero Tech Centre, near Munich. The scooters will be manufactured at Hero MotoCorp's plant at Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. Dr Munjal also indicated at the Vida scooter launch that electric motorcycles would also be added to the Vida EV portfolio in the future. The company has recently partnered and invested in Zero Motorcycles of the US to jointly manufacture e-motorcycles.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM AUTOCAR PROFESSIONALView all
Spain's Fersa Group invests in India-based Delux Bearings
Autocar Professional

Spain's Fersa Group invests in India-based Delux Bearings

Besides theRs100 croreinvestment, the Indian company gets access toadvanced technologies and bearings with arange of applications that willhelpinits global growth strategy, writes Manobhava Baruah.

time-read
2 mins  |
15th January 2023
Tata Autocomp to open compact dual-clutch transmission plant
Autocar Professional

Tata Autocomp to open compact dual-clutch transmission plant

Amidthe country’s growing need for personal mobility with easy manoeuvrability, comes the demand for vehicles with automatic transmission. Tata AutoCompisready tomovein writes Shruti Mishra.

time-read
3 mins  |
15th January 2023
Pankaj Munjal-backed Hero Motors raises equity from GEF Cap
Autocar Professional

Pankaj Munjal-backed Hero Motors raises equity from GEF Cap

The company willinvest Rs1,500 crore over thenextthree years andit expects 60 percent ofits turnover to come fromelectric vehicle parts. Itaims to becomea Global EV Solutions Company from India

time-read
2 mins  |
15th January 2023
New age thermoplastics for next-generation EV batteries
Autocar Professional

New age thermoplastics for next-generation EV batteries

Saudi-based global materials major SABIChas developed cutting edgein fire-resistant polymers and flame-retardant materials that comply with various EV battery safety standards across the world.

time-read
4 mins  |
15th January 2023
Switch Mobility to meet growing e-bus demand with fresh capex
Autocar Professional

Switch Mobility to meet growing e-bus demand with fresh capex

Oncourse for abillion-dollar business, the company is exploringa possibility of operating satellite factories across the country to serve different geographies, write ShahkarAbidi and Ketan Thakkar.

time-read
4 mins  |
15th January 2023
Kia India to invest Rs 2,000 crore in EVS, to introduce new e-RV in 2025
Autocar Professional

Kia India to invest Rs 2,000 crore in EVS, to introduce new e-RV in 2025

New investmentto drive R&D, infrastructure development and manufacturing capabilities. The company willlocally produce EVsin India with possibility of exports as well, writes Mayank Dhingra.

time-read
2 mins  |
15th January 2023
"The government has given enough time for indigenisation but the industry has not taken it seriously"
Autocar Professional

"The government has given enough time for indigenisation but the industry has not taken it seriously"

Amitabh Saran, Founder and CEO, Altigreen, shares his views on problems inthe EV industry and battery localisation solutions with Amit Vijay M.

time-read
3 mins  |
15th January 2023
TATA MOTORS SEES ONE INTWO CARS SOLDAS EVS BY 2030
Autocar Professional

TATA MOTORS SEES ONE INTWO CARS SOLDAS EVS BY 2030

The company aims to offer wider choices withnew EVs that may straddle a pricebracket of Rs20to 40lakhinthe coming years, writes Ketan Thakkar.

time-read
2 mins  |
15th January 2023
MG Motor India in expansion drive, to invest $100 million
Autocar Professional

MG Motor India in expansion drive, to invest $100 million

The investment willbe usedtoramp up existing production capacity from1.2to1.4-15lakh units per annum atthe automaker's Halol plantin Gujarat, writes Ketan Thakkar.

time-read
2 mins  |
15th January 2023
"Technology and its multiplier effect are driving business transformations and customer experiences"
Autocar Professional

"Technology and its multiplier effect are driving business transformations and customer experiences"

Technical Centre India is one of Continental’s largest research and development centres in the world, andasa Centre of Competence’ it also develops customised products for the BRIC countries.

time-read
9 mins  |
15th January 2023