Hero MotoCorp’s first electric vehicle, the Vida V1 e-scooter will use smart e-scooter manufacturer Ather Energy’s all-India public fast-charging network. The Hero Vida V1 will be compatible with Ather Grid while Ather e-scooters too will be able to use Hero MotoCorp’s EV charging network as well since both brands use Ather’s open-sourced connector design. 

Hero MotoCorp, an early investor in Ather since 2016, has an equity stake of around 35 percent in the Bangalore-based EV maker. In January 2022, Hero MotoCorp invested an additional Rs 420 crore in Ather, which is among the top five EV OEMs in India.

Hero and Ather Grid network compatibility
Hero MotoCorp has ensured that the Vida V1 e-scooter hits the ground running. Not only does the electric scooter have removable batteries and fast-charging capabilities built in, it can also make full use of the nationwide Ather Grid's DC fast-charging network, which has 350 stations operational. No other electric two-wheeler manufacturer in the country has its fast-charging network up and running except for Ather Energy. 

Hero also has plans to set up its own widespread fast-charging network which will be compatible with all Ather products in the future. Both variants of the Vida V1 electric scooter have fast-charging capability at the rate of 1.2km/min (slightly lower than the Ather’s 1.5km/min), which enables them to charge from 0-80 percent in less than 65 minutes (claimed). 

Further, in early September 2022, Hero MotoCorp inked a partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) to set up EV charging infrastructure across India.  Coupled with its plans to export its Vida V1 e-scooter to European markets, Hero MotoCorp has outlined a number of growth-driving measures for its EV program.

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