Viva La VX2

The Vida VX2 is the latest player in a market that is quickly crowding up. We took the new VX2 Plus for a spin at Nandi Hills to find out what cards Hero has up its sleeve

- Story: Abhisu Poddar Photography: Kalidas M

THE VIDA VX2 IS HERO MOTOCORP'S LATEST electric scooter offering, and its mission is to tap into a wider, more rural pool of customers by mitigating the hassles of building and maintaining a charging infrastructure and reducing upfront purchasing costs.

How does it aim to solve the issue of charging? Simple. The batteries come out of the scooter, and with the provided charging kit you can simply take them home and charge from any five-amp outlet. And what about the high capital investment issue? Well, Hero has rolled out a “Battery-as-a-Service” plan for the VX2 whereby you can lease the battery and pay per kilometre of use. More on that later.

Aesthetically, the VX2 bears a strong resemblance to the existing V2, except for softer lines and a cuter, chubbier, and more universally appealing design. Every external light is an LED unit with nifty little Easter eggs peppered around, along with fashionable colour inserts that bring more life to the design of the scooter. There are seven attractive colour options on offer, ranging from a funky matte Metallic Grey, a youthful Matte Lime, and Pearl Red to a sophisticated Nexus Blue. Vida has pretty much all the bases covered.

Ergonomically, the VX2 is relaxed and comfortable to ride, with a seat height of 777 millimetres. Neither will the knee space prove to be an issue for taller riders, nor would flat footing for the shorter ones. There are ample storage options with three cubby pockets on the front panel (along with a dedicated phone slot) and 33 litres of storage capacity under the seat, and the scooter is more than capable of carrying a hefty grocery haul.