Hero MotoCorp’s First VIDA Electric Motorcycle Coming in 2027 – UBEX and VXZ Platforms Under Development
- Team Autopunditz
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Hero MotoCorp is preparing for its next major step in electric mobility, with the company confirming that its first electric motorcycle is expected to arrive in 2027. The upcoming product will expand Hero’s VIDA electric portfolio beyond scooters and mark the company’s entry into India’s still-nascent electric motorcycle segment.
Hero is currently developing electric motorcycles around two dedicated platforms — Project UBEX and Project VXZ— both of which were showcased in concept form at EICMA 2025. While the company has confirmed that electric motorcycles will begin arriving from next year, it has not yet disclosed which platform will spawn the first production model.
Hero Confirms Electric Motorcycle Launch From 2027
During a recent interaction with investors, Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer of Hero MotoCorp’s Emerging Mobility Business Unit, confirmed that the electric motorcycle programme will not result in a launch during 2026.
Instead, Hero is targeting products from 2027 onwards. Hero MotoCorp CEO Harshavardhan Chitale has also indicated that development of the electric motorcycle range is progressing steadily and that further details will be announced over the coming months. This effectively confirms Hero’s intention to move beyond electric scooters and establish VIDA as a broader electric two-wheeler brand.
Two New Electric Motorcycle Platforms
Unlike Hero’s existing VIDA scooters, the upcoming motorcycles will be based on purpose-built motorcycle architectures.
According to Hero, learnings from its electric scooter programme will be carried forward, but the new platforms are being engineered specifically around motorcycle requirements such as:
Performance
Rideability
Gradeability
Range
Motorcycle-specific ergonomics
This suggests the upcoming products will not simply be scooter powertrains packaged inside motorcycle bodies.
Instead, Hero appears to be developing dedicated EV architectures capable of supporting different categories and performance levels.
VIDA Project UBEX – Urban Electric Streetfighter
Of the two concepts, Project UBEX appears to be the more urban-focused offering. The motorcycle was conceived as a sporty electric naked bike designed to deliver strong acceleration while still remaining practical for everyday city riding.
Patent images filed in India also provide a clearer indication of its styling. The UBEX features an aggressive streetfighter-inspired design with a compact projector headlamp, LED daytime running lamps and a sculpted tank-like upper body section.
Other visible elements include alloy wheels, telescopic front suspension, a single-piece seat, tyre hugger and disc brakes at both ends.
The motorcycle also appears to use a large centrally mounted battery pack. A digital instrument console with connected technology and navigation functionality could also form part of the production motorcycle, although Hero has not yet announced final specifications.
Project VXZ Developed With Zero Motorcycles
The second electric motorcycle platform, Project VXZ, is considerably more performance-focused.
Hero MotoCorp is developing the motorcycle in collaboration with American electric motorcycle specialist Zero Motorcycles. Hero and Zero have been working together on premium electric motorcycles following Hero MotoCorp’s strategic investment in the US-based EV manufacturer.
Project VXZ is expected to benefit from Zero’s expertise in electric powertrains, battery management and performance EV engineering. However, rather than simply adapting an existing Zero motorcycle, the VXZ appears to use a new architecture designed specifically for Hero’s requirements. That could allow Hero to better balance performance, localisation and pricing for markets such as India.
Sportier Hardware For VXZ
Patent images indicate that Project VXZ could sit significantly higher in the electric motorcycle hierarchy than UBEX.
Its design incorporates elements including:
USD front forks
Rear monoshock
Petal disc brakes
Belt-drive system
Split seats
Sharp LED lighting
Large centrally positioned battery
Digital instrument display
The motorcycle combines streetfighter styling with semi-faired bodywork, suggesting that Hero may position it as a premium performance-oriented EV.
Final battery capacity, motor output, claimed range and charging specifications remain undisclosed.
Which VIDA Electric Motorcycle Will Launch First?
Hero has not officially confirmed whether UBEX or VXZ will become its first production electric motorcycle.
However, the positioning of the two concepts provides some clues. UBEX appears to be designed around urban mobility and could potentially target a wider customer base, while VXZ looks likely to occupy a more premium and performance-focused segment.
Hero could therefore eventually adopt a multi-tier electric motorcycle strategy similar to its ICE portfolio, offering accessible commuter-oriented EVs alongside higher-performance premium motorcycles. Whether both motorcycles arrive during 2027 or are introduced sequentially remains to be seen.
VIDA EV Production Capacity Expanding Rapidly
Hero’s upcoming electric motorcycles form part of a much broader expansion of the VIDA business. The company is simultaneously increasing production capacity for electric two-wheelers as demand for VIDA scooters grows.
Hero reportedly plans to increase monthly EV production capacity to around 45,000 units during FY27, compared with approximately 15,000 units per month at the end of FY26. The expansion comes after Hero broadened VIDA’s product portfolio, including more affordable electric scooters and Battery-as-a-Service options aimed at reducing the upfront purchase price of EVs.
Hero’s current website also continues to position VIDA electric scooters within its broader premium mobility portfolio, highlighting the growing strategic importance of the EV brand.
Electric Motorcycle Market Could Be Hero’s Next Opportunity
India’s electric scooter market has expanded rapidly, but electric motorcycles still account for a comparatively small portion of the overall electric two-wheeler market.
That potentially gives Hero an opportunity to establish an early position before competition intensifies.
Several manufacturers are developing electric motorcycles for India, while newer EV companies are also attempting to move beyond the scooter segment. Hero has an additional advantage through its large-scale manufacturing capability, nationwide dealership infrastructure and partnership with Zero Motorcycles.
If the company can combine competitive pricing with usable real-world range and motorcycle-like performance, VIDA could potentially accelerate electric motorcycle adoption beyond today’s relatively niche customer base.
Auto Punditz Take
Hero MotoCorp entering the electric motorcycle market could be significantly more consequential than simply adding another product to the VIDA range. Hero dominates large parts of India’s conventional motorcycle market, and electrification of motorcycles has so far progressed considerably slower than electrification of scooters.
The company’s two-platform approach is particularly interesting.
UBEX could potentially become the volume-oriented electric motorcycle, while VXZ could demonstrate Hero and Zero Motorcycles’ performance capabilities at the premium end of the market.
Much will ultimately depend on battery size, real-world range, charging infrastructure and — most importantly — pricing. For now, 2027 has emerged as the key year for Hero MotoCorp’s entry into the electric motorcycle segment, with more details on the production models expected over the coming months.
