Let’s discuss the startup’s product, Simple Energy One. The Bangalore-based company showcased its electric two-wheeler at the beginning of 2022. At the same time, they also launched the bike along with the price list. The indigenous electric two-wheeler manufacturer (startup) postponed the deliveries as its rivals faced a backlash over the overheating problem. That said, the company wants to ensure that its products work flawlessly. Moreover, there are no Simple Energy scooters that cater to different buyers.
In parallel, you can also consider the Hero Vida V1. For your reference, Hero Vida is itself a division of Hero MotoCorp. This division will only focus on manufacturing electric two-wheelers. There is only one offering under that marquee, the Vida V1. Sure, these two players will bring more products to the market, but first, let’s see how their current offerings stack up against each other. Let’s read on.
Specifications
As far as the Hero Vida V1 specifications are concerned, it has a removable 3.94 kWh lithium-ion battery with a claimed range of 165 km. This battery pack is available in the top-tier model, the V1 Pro.
Other variants include the Vida V1 Plus. The “Plus” suffix doesn’t match the battery pack it offers. Yes, it has a lesser battery unit of 3.44 kWh, which returns a claimed range of 142 km. Well, that’s not so impressive, as it’s suited for urban riding only. Moreover, there are no other Hero Vida bikes available with competitive ranges.
But that should not indicate that an urban-oriented EV scooter gets a small battery pack. You can imagine the real-world range when considering the claimed range.
On the contrary, there is the startup’s EV scooter, the Simple Energy One. This EV also offers two battery units: a 4.5 kWh and a 4.8 kWh. Both battery packs are way better than the Hero Vida V1’s offerings. Interestingly, the Energy One boasts a dual-battery setup with a fixed battery and a removable battery pack of 7 kg, making a total capacity of 4.8 kWh. The dual battery pack is exclusive to the top variant, the Extra Range. The removable battery pack is 1.6 kWh, though.
Further, as per sources, the startup claims that this two-wheeler EV can sprint from 0 to 40 km/h in just 2.86 seconds, making it the fastest EV scooter in the business. But let’s see once it comes onto the tarmac after its launch.
The fixed battery can replenish from zero to eighty percent in 2.7 hours, while the removable battery takes seventy-five minutes.
Further, a bigger battery pack indicates a better range with better performance. The Energy One’s price hasn’t come yet, as it will come out in January.
Features
Both scooters offer more or less the same as far as features are concerned. Let’s start with Simple Energy One’s features. It has a digital instrument cluster, which shows relevant readings, such as RPM, speed, range, distance travelled, battery level, etc. Further, this EV scooter has Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, which enables the rider to use GPS and navigation. It also has a digital clock, a single seat, and a fast-charging facility, to name a few.
Moreover, the homegrown EV scooter also offers mobile app connectivity, through which you can access your vehicle’s data from your phone.
The app lets the user check live speed, range left, battery level (with its temperature), live location, last parked, nearby charging stations, etc. The app also allows the owner to create a geofence from the phone. This feature lets the user create a virtual boundary. The user gets notified about the vehicle once it is outside or inside the radius.
Besides that, the Simple Energy One’s exterior includes an all-LED light setup. Yes, front lights, rear lights and indicator lights are all LEDs. In addition, this two-wheeler also focuses on safety as it boasts a CBS (combined brake system).
So, these are a few features of this EV.
Now, let’s jump to its rival, the Hero Vida V1. As mentioned earlier, both bikes’ features are more or less the same. But Hero offers more features than the Simple Energy One. Those standout features include a USB charging port, cruise control, parking/reverse assistance, remote immobilisation, Vida Cloud, and 4G connectivity, to name a few. In addition, you can also check out other Hero Electric bikes/scooters on autoX.
Further, the Vida V1 also offers four riding modes: Eco, Ride, Sports, and Custom.
Besides those tempting offerings, both EVs get IP68-rated batteries. Yes, both EVs get improved IP ratings from IP67 to IP68, making them more resistant to water and dust. Further, the Hero Vida V1 gets a disc-drum setup for braking, as does the Simple Energy One.
All in all, their features are more or less the same as those mentioned earlier.
Prices and Variants
For starters, both EV scooters have two variants. Let’s start with the Simple Energy One. It has two variants: STD (standard) and Extra Range. But the only thing is that this EV is yet to receive a revised price list, which will come in January 2023. Expect it to cost less than Rs 2 lakh for the on-road price.
On the other hand, the Vida V1 also has two variants, as mentioned above. They include Plus and Pro. The Vida V1 price starts at Rs 1.28 lakh for the base model, the Plus, and goes up to Rs 1.39 lakh for the top model, the Pro. All are ex-showroom prices, New Delhi, as of December 2022.
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