Hero Vida V1 Pro vs Ola S1 Pro: Which one is better?

When the Ola S1 Pro struck the market, it sent shockwaves among the electric two-wheeler manufacturers and even the traditional IC engine scooter makers with its set of feel-good features and segment-best motor and battery setups. While the scooter is reported to be plagued with several quality issues, there’s no denying the fact that the S1 Pro has forced the two-wheeler makers in India to go back to their drawing tables and come up with something more innovative.

Hero MotoCorp did the same and has come up with the all-new Vida V1 Pro. It is nothing like anything we have seen from Hero MotoCorp, with edgier and futuristic styling and features and a whole new all-electric powertrain. The Vida V1 Pro claims to be the new segment-leading scooter, but does it have all the mettle needed to be the number one? We find out. 

Price

At Rs 1,20,149, the Ola S1 Pro is much more affordable than the Hero Vida V1 Pro, which is priced at Rs 1,30,000. Even the lower-spec Vida V1 Plus is priced at Rs 1,28,000 – almost Rs 8,000 more expensive than the Ola S1 Pro. All these prices are the net asking prices after taking in the FAME-II incentives and state subsidies in Delhi. The state subsidies can differ from state to state, which can alter the prices of the scooters.

(Both prices mentioned above are ex-showroom, India, after FAME-II incentive and state subsidy)

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Engine and Chassis

The Ola S1 Pro has already set high benchmarks in the electric two-wheeler category with its high-rated motor and battery setups, which are currently ranked as the most powerful and biggest in the category. The 8.5 kW electric motor of the S1 Pro is capable of enabling the scooter to touch a top speed of 115 kmph, while the 3.97 kWh lithium-ion battery of the scooter takes 6.5 hours for a full charge and returns a commendable range of 181 km.

The Hero Vida V1 Pro was riding high on expectations, which somehow couldn’t meet them wholly. The 6 kW electric motor of the Vida V1 Pro is lesser powerful than that of the S1 Pro, while even in this Pro variant, it has a restricted top speed of 80 kmph. The 3.95 kWh lithium-ion battery of the Vida V1 Pro is slightly smaller than the battery of the Ola S1 Pro, which reflects in its lower range which is almost 16 km lesser than the claimed range of the S1 Pro.

While the Hero Vida V1 Pro ranks behind the Ola S1 Pro in the performance department, the former has a better suspension setup, with its dual-sided hydraulic telescopic forks giving it an added sense of confidence over the single-sided trailing link in the S1 Pro. However, the S1 Pro gets disc brakes at both front and rear, while the Vida V1 Pro gets a front disc and rear drum for braking purposes.

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Dimension

Hero MotoCorp hasn’t revealed the dimensions of the Vida V1 Pro, though, in terms of just visual appearance, the Ola S1 Pro looks slimmer than the former. Only the revealed figures will unveil the differences. However, for now, Hero has revealed that the Vida V1 Pro has 26 litres of under-seat storage space, which is almost 10 litres smaller than the 36-litre compartment in the Ola S1 Pro.

Design and Features

The Ola S1 Pro debuted in India with a very simple and clean design, which comes with a slim-looking tall front apron, dual LED projectors in the headlamps, curvy-looking rear side body panels and a compact rear profile. It has a hump in the middle of the floorboard, which is not much preferred by many of those who are in a consistent job of carrying things on the floorboard of their scooter.

The Hero Vida V1 Pro also gets an all-LED headlamp, tail lamp and turn indicators, though, unlike the S1 Pro which gets headlamps in the handlebar cowl, the Vida V1 Pro gets them at the bottom of the front apron. The rear profile of the Vida V1 Pro looks a bit awkward from some angles, but it gives the Vida V1 Pro an impression of a tall and bulky scooter when viewed from the rear. It also gets LED illumination for the tail lamp and front and rear turn indicators.

Both the scooters here get cruise control, riding modes and functional and aesthetically nice-looking 5-inch full-TFT touchscreen instrument consoles. However, it is clear that the screen of the S1 Pro feels more intuitive to use and has more configurable display modes. The S1 Pro also comes with a reverse gear and a set of speakers mounted within the front apron. 

Verdict

There were quite high expectations from Hero MotoCorp’s first all-electric scooter for the masses. While the Hero Vida V1 Pro has come across as a new-gen product, it does fall short of the Ola S1 Pro when it comes to sheer value. The S1 Pro has a bigger battery with more range on offer, a more powerful electric motor, a few more features, a bigger under-seat storage compartment and a rear disc brake. Despite having all these advantages, the S1 Pro is a whopping Rs 19,000 more affordable than the Vida V1 Pro. It’s a no-brainer that the S1 Pro feels leagues ahead of the Vida V1 Pro in all senses.

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