Hero Vida VX2 Review - Vida Goes For The Kill

The EV juggernaut continues in the Indian market and this is the latest addition to the ever expanding electric two-wheeler space. The Hero Vida VX2 is the second gen offering from Hero. The V1 was a good scooter, but the pricing and lack of dealership meant its appeal was restricted. However, with the Gen 2 Hero has addressed most of the negatives, at least on paper. The VX2 continues to get removable batteries, while the motor has been updated for better performance and range. The highlight is the Battery as a Service (BaaS) programme which has reduced the price of the Hero electric scooter significantly and prices start at just ₹45,000 for the Vida VX2 Go variant, whereas the Vida VX2 Pro variant is priced at ₹58,000 (both prices are introductory and ex-showroom). So is the VX2 an EV disruptor that we always expected from Hero? Let’s find out. 

Charging 

The highlight of the Vida electric scooter has been its removable batteries and the same continues with the VX2 variants as well. There are three ways in which you can charge the Hero electric scooter. First is to remove the batteries (each weigh around 11 kg, Go variant gets one battery) and charge them in your home or office via the 580 W charger which connects to a 5 ampere socket. The second option is to charge the scooter directly in your parking lot as there’s a socket underneath the seat. The third option is the quickest one which is fast charging. You can use the over 3,900 fast chargers setup by Hero (and also you can use Ather charging network), and charge your scooter for free and this is also applicable to BaaS owners. With fast charging, the Vida VX2 Plus goes from 0-80% in just 1 hour. 

Subscription Plans & Cost

The Vida VX2 is one of the few electric scooters to get a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model and this has been done to reduce the cost of the scooter significantly. With BaaS, unlike the Honda Activa Electric wherein the customer doesn’t own the battery, you do so on the Vida VX2. So if one opts for BaaS, you pay a monthly fee and once the plan duration is complete, the rider gets full ownership of the scooter. Customers can opt for two finance options - Hero Fincorp and Vidyuttech Services Pvt Ltd. Following are the plans for the VX2 Go and VX2 Plus variant. 

If a customer clocks more kilometres than the plan he or she has opted for they will be charged the same per km cost and that payment will be adjusted every quarter or how one negotiates with the financer. For now the plans are fixed, which means once the customer opts for a certain plan they can’t change it later. Over and above these monthly chargers, buyers will have to pay a one-time fee of ₹1,119 for stamp duty and documentation.

Performance 

The scooter we test rode was the VX2 Plus variant. So while the power output is the same as the base variant, it offers quicker acceleration and a higher top speed (80 kmph as opposed to 70 kmph). Hero claims an acceleration time of 0-40 kmph in 3.1 seconds and the VX2 does feel peppy, which should make it fun to ride in the city. There are 3 riding modes - Eco, Ride and Sports. Eco as the name suggests is for extracting the max range and acceleration is also slow and top speed is capped. But you can also activate boost mode. 

So basically it gives a boost of acceleration when you’re riding in Eco and want to overtake, this means you don’t have to shift ride modes to overtake. Sports mode is definitely the most fun mode, but then range is compromised. With respect to performance, the Vida VX2 Plus isn’t the fastest or quickest scooter out there, but with respect to city commuting, it will not disappoint. And a special mention for the throttle calibration, there’s no jerks when you’re taking a U-turn as we have experienced on many scooters and it feels like riding a conventional ICE scooter. 

For regen, you have to use negative throttle and it’s quite powerful and it also can be used instead of brakes to cut momentum. Riding around Nandi Hills, the scooter didn’t struggle on the uphill sections even with a pillion rider, so that’s another positive. 

Design & Features

The styling of the VX2 is more mellow compared to its predecessor which looked very sporty and modern. The design update has been done to position the VX2 as a family scooter. All the body panels are new and have a curvy and smoother design instead of sharp lines. The headlight and tail light design is the same on both the scooters. The biggest difference is the inclusion of a single seat instead of the split seat that we saw on the older scooter. The TFT instrument cluster layout is all-new and so is the switch gear. Also, the new joystick makes toggling through the menu easier. The VX2 Plus variant is offered in 7 colour shades. 

Talking about features, there are 3 riding modes, park assist, navigation, music control, geo-fencing, locating your scooter and more via the app. There’s also park assist to help you park the scooter and unlike other electric scooters which only have a reverse mode, on the VX2 you can go both front and back. Underseat storage on the VX2 Go is more at 33 litres as it has a single battery pack whereas the Plus variant has 27 litres of storage space. While the quality is good, especially for the switchgear, some panel gaps were inconsistent and we hope these issues are fixed. So while one might not attract many eyeballs with the VX2, the scooter does look fine and is distinctive. 

Ride, Handling & Braking 

On the move, the VX2 felt easy to steer and even the handling dynamics were stable. While direction changes were swift, the real test lies in the traffic clogged streets. Even ride quality is decent, however, the front suspension tuning has scope for improvement as it feels a bit firm. The VX2 isn’t uncomfortable in any manner, just that the front suspension could have been more compliant over broken roads. Same story is with the brakes, the bite from the disc brake could have been sharper, while the combi-braking adds to the safety aspect. 

Verdict 

The biggest issue with the Vida V1 was its very expensive pricing, and Hero has addressed those issues with the VX2. The BaaS plan makes the pricing of the scooters very aggressive and to further sweeten the deal, Hero has slashed the prices further as part of the introductory offer. So with respect to pricing, the VX2 is a disruptor and we are sure other EV brands will be introducing BaaS plans for their products in the future. 

But it isn’t just the price factor which makes the Hero electric scooter so impressive. The styling is simple but distinct, the TFT screen and the new switch gear gives the scooter a touch of premiumness, but the best part is the throttle calibration, which should make the VX2 a very good commuter. So if you’re in the search for an easy to ride and affordable family electric scooter, the Vida VX2 is an attractive option. However, we would like to reserve our final verdict until when get to ride the electric scooter in our traffic congested roads as that will be the ultimate challenge for the VX2.