Hero MotoCorp’s electric two-wheeler division, Vida is gearing up to launch a new range of scooters in the market. The company is looking to introduce products in the entry, mid and the premium end of the electric two-wheeler space in India. These launches are likely to take place in either in the late first half or early second half of the financial year.
At present, Vida sells the V1 and V1 Pro electric scooters in the market. The Vida V1 is positioned as a premium scooter and is loaded with all the bells and whistles you’d expected from a scooter in the segment. It has a touchscreen TFT display, Bluetooth connectivity and a powerful electric motor. One of the USPs of the Vida is the removable battery that offers the convenience of being charged at home or at the office desk.
The new range of affordable Vida electric scooters are likely to offer similar conveniences but won’t be as well equipped. So, we could see these scooters feature simple LCD displays, lower top speeds and smaller batteries. Bluetooth connectivity and navigation might be optional extras.
Vida is also working on ensuring that an environment where subsidies are reduced won’t have a huge impact on their ability to price their electric scooters competitively. This can be achieved by optimising costs and Vida already has a roadmap ready for the same. The upcoming Vida two-wheelers will also be able to avail benefits of the Government PLI schemes which will help Vida price their products at a reasonable price.
Vida will also utilise the strengths of Ather to improve their charging infrastructure. At present, both companies together have 2500 charging stations across 200 cities in India.
All said, Vida is hopeful that the Government will continue to assist the electric vehicle space in India as it is still not mature enough to run without the support of subsidies.