The ride and sport modes do not give that power burst but is more linear instead. Top speeds are at ~50/65/80 respectively for each mode.
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Hmm , no ownership reviews here even 2 months after deliveries began. Anyway I’d decided to bite the bullet and finally bid vida to my trusted 3-YO Ather 450 and welcomed the Vida V1 Pro home last week.
Here are my quick impressions 6days/150km into it:
- First a first time EV user it is an excellent scooter if you can shell out this kind of money. I feel it is overpriced at 1.7L OTR.
- Many ‘finesse’ issues across the board.
- For the most part it feels like a downgrade for me. Note that I am comparing to the 2019 version of the Ather 450. Even then.
- The fears I mentioned here still holds wrt to the switches, the double-seat and the battery charging process.
- So then why ? Well, I am one of the victims of the lack of clear rules in India for EV charging in apartments. So have to go for portable batteries rather than wait for the red tape to unwind.
- Unless otherwise mentioned all comparisons are with the Ather 450.
The Ride:
The Eco mode is more than enough for regular trips.
A cushier ride with a softer suspension.
The ride and sport modes do not give that power burst but is more linear instead. Top speeds are at ~50/65/80 respectively for each mode.
The whirr is higher compared to the iQube/Ola but lesser compared to the 450. Sounds good nevertheless.The ‘whee’ of the Ather’s belt drive was/is too loud for EV standards.
Mirrors are well positioned and provide good visibility.
I don’t slide down/forward in the seat. Straight sitting position. Ample leg space too.
I was used to sitting with my knees bent backwards. At times I used to ride sitting on the back seat. Not required for the Vida.
There is a power boost while overtaking ( switches to sport mode for a few seconds) which can startle you if you are not expecting it. I learnt it the hard way.
Brakes clearly lack the bite. Rear drum + Front disc.
Did a 100km ride towards the BLR airport and back. Held up well.Sport mode reaches a max of 82-84.
The cruise mode works but unlikely that I will end up using it much in traffic.
The turn indicators wobble and feels so flimsy that I had to peel off the plastic wraps from them like a daiper off a baby.
Charging/Batteries/Range:
95-100 kms is the max range in Eco mode. The 165km IDC claim is misleading and was a big disappointment for me. I was expecting 130-140km real world.
Three ways to charge – 1) Take home and charge one battery at a time 2)charge both batteries simultaneously by connecting the portable charger to a point under the seat 3) Fast charging port.
This is how it shows while charging directly. In Eco mode the range and battery percentage will more or less tally. So the math is easier:
Charging at home: The charger indicates the charge levels with physical lights blinkers:
I cannot ignore the elephant in the room here – All the EV fire incidents involve the battery(Hope that is a correct statement ?). The triggers could be faulty wiring , electrical shorts etc but the hazard is an exploding battery. And in this case the elephant is literally ‘in the room’ and there are two ! The Vida batteries are solidly built and the quality appears enterprise grade. However I’ll exercise caution here and charge in an airy balcony away from the sun etc.
This is how the charger connects:
The scooter itself:
Looks are subjective but this feels bigger overall. Heavier too. The 450 was nimble.
Panel gaps at many such places:
Exposed wires and that’s the horn hiding at the back ! It is more of a squeak than a honk:
The cavernous boot. But closing that is a ceremony.I gave up eventually:
Boot space still left with a full size helmet:
Key fob: Can unlock the boot locate the scooter remotely etc. Can stay in your pocket and the scooter’s functions work as long as you are within a ~1m vicinity. Poor quality plastic though:
Other Stuff:
Side-stand switches off the motor – Nice.
The Y-Connector which can charge both batteries simultaneously comes at an extra cost. Not available today.
DRLs double up as the regular headlights during the night. I had my doubts but works fine.The high beam is high and powerful. Won’t need it normally.
They give a full size helmet with Vida badging along with the scooter.
I’m reminded of my first ‘EV’ times back in 2012 which I still have and charge the battery at home. The Hulikal Avatar with a removable battery. Feels like I’ve come a full circle:
The app is still not functional. There is no entry in the playstore. They give an apk file which needs to be installed. Navigation , fast charging etc can be done only once that is done. There is a custom mode also to be tried out in the App.
Some of these views can change as it grows on me and hopefully I go fidaa over the Vida.
Some other moments captured:
The Orange waiting for its turn:
Good visibility in direct sunlight: The photo does not do justice:
There is a dark mode too to which it can auto-switch:
A bee’s head zoomed or is it just me?
A USB charging port , the motor ON button , the boot open button right below , the fast charger port , the grocery bag hook , tyre pressure sticker etc.
Almost always I open the boot while trying to turn on the motor. Also am yet to figure out a repeatable process for the most basic of all functions – “Turn on/off the scooter”. It is always some wierd combination of long and short presses which somehow work. I want to have a conversation with the designer of that UI and that system:
Keyword: Sold my Ather 450 to get a Hero Vida V1 Pro: Here's how they compare