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Hero Electric Optima: A practical, conventional Scooter

Hero Electric Optima: A practical, conventional Scooter

Prices in Different Metro Cities

₹ 35,690
₹ 45,190
₹ 40,000
₹ 38,890
₹ 41,490
₹ 35,690
₹ 51,440
₹ 51,440
₹ 51,440
₹ 51,440
₹ 51,440
₹ 51,440
₹ 67,440
₹ 67,440
₹ 67,440
₹ 67,440
₹ 67,440
₹ 67,440

Key Highlights

  • Max Power
    --
    Max Power
    250 W
    Max Power
    250 W
  • Riding Range
    65 Km
    Riding Range
    50 Km
    Riding Range
    85 Km
  • Top Speed
    25 Kmph
  • Kerb Weight
    86 kg
    Kerb Weight
    68 kg
  • Battery Capacity
    --
  • Seat Height
    --

Latest on Hero Electric Optima

  • Hero Electric had launched the Optima model back in 2014 to provide zero carbon emissions to urban mobility. The company rolled out the HX variants in October 2020.
  • In January 2021, the company announced a five-year warranty across its Lithium-ion electric scooter models purchased between January 1 and March 31. It included all Optima variants, except LX(VRLA).
  • Now the three variants are available with three years warranty on both scooter and battery. However, the lead-acid variant has a three-year warranty on the scooter and one year warranty on the battery.
  • After the Indian Government implemented the revised FAME II policy and heavy subsidies on electric two-wheelers, the cost of Optima HX (single battery) dropped by Rs 8,040, from Rs 61,640 to Rs 53,600. The price of the double battery variant was reduced by 33% (Rs 19,660), from Rs 78,640 to Rs 58,980.

Introduction of Hero Electric Optima

Hero Electric Optima, a flagship electric scooter model, comes in four variants— Optima LX (VRLA), Optima LX, Optima HX (single battery), and Optima HX (dual battery).

Optima LX (VRLA) and Optima LX belong to the comfort speed category and get 25 Kmph maximum speed. Optima HX (single battery) and Optima HX (dual battery) belong to the city speed category having a top speed above 42 Kmph.

Optima LX (VRLA) gets powered by a lead-acid battery, while each Optima LX, VX (single battery), and VX (double battery) by a Lithium-ion battery.

Optima LX (VRLA) carries a price-tag of Rs 51,440 (ex-showroom), whereas Optima LX is priced at Rs 67,440. Optima HX (single battery) is priced at Rs 53,600 while Optima HX (dual battery) costs Rs 58,980.

Hero Electric Optima is manufactured in the two-wheeler manufacturer’s production facility in Ludhiana and is available in its authorised dealerships and showrooms.

Optima LX (VRLA) comes with a three-year warranty on the scooter and one year warranty on the battery. The rest three variants come with a three-year comprehensive warranty on both the scooter and the battery.

Highlights of Hero Electric Optima

Specifications of Optima

Both Optima LX (VRLA) and Optima LX are propelled by a 250 watts motor, while both Optima VX (single battery) and Optima VX (double battery) get driven by a 550 | 1200 watts motor.

Optima LX (VRLA) gets powered by a 48V / 20Ah valve-regulated lead-acid battery that takes eight to 10 hours to get fully charged and enables the scooter to cover a distance of 50 km.

Optima LX gets fed by a 51.2V / 30Ah Lithium-ion battery that takes four to five hours to get fully charged and allows the two-wheeler to cover a range of 85 km.

Optima VX (single battery) comes with a 51.2V / 30Ah battery which gets 100% charged in four to five hours and can cover up to 82 km.

However, Optima VX (dual battery) gets fed by a set of two 51.2V / 30Ah batteries that takes four to five hours for a full charge and gives a mileage of 122 km.

All the variants come equipped with drum brakes and a combi braking system. It decelerates the front and the rear wheels simultaneously when the brake is applied.

Design of Hero Electric Optima

Instead of style and advanced features, Optima gives more attention to practical details. For example, Hero Electric Nyx encompasses a hands-on and conventional design.

Optima’s rectangular-shaped headlamp features prominently between the handles and rearview mirrors. Like Nyx and Photon, it comes with a separate front mudguard accompanied by the above indicator lights on both sides.

The red-and-white logo of Hero Electric is fixed just below the headlamp, and the chrome-plated text of ‘electric’ is featured just above the left side indicator.

The bold letters ‘HERO ELECTRIC’ lies below the right side indicator.

A pair of telescopic forks and drum brake get fitted to the 12-inch chrome-finished front alloy wheel.

The floor panel area gives sufficient legroom for a rider of an average height and weight to comfortably sit and ride. The plastic compartment opposite the front seat offers enough space for small things.

The dashboard displays the necessary information like- speed, battery percentage, and distance covered. Between both handles, buttons for headlamp, horn, and side indicators get fitted. A pair of rearview mirrors allows the rider to see the vehicles coming from behind.

A charging point, located below the front seat, and the battery gets stored inside the boot. So, there’s sufficient room to fit personal belongings. The scooter incorporates a step-up seat which offers great comfort to both the rider and passenger.

The scooter has a ground clearance of 165 mm (the second-highest after Flash’s 170 mm). While on rest, it gets ably supported by its side and centre stand.

Hero Electrica Optima gets a prominent taillight with side indicators. A single-piece grab rail gets fitted just above it, enabling pillion riders to hold the rail and offer extra safety.

Colour Options and Variants of Hero Electric Optima

Hero Electric Optima comes in four variants:

  • Optima LX (VRLA)
  • Optima LX
  • Optima VX (single battery)
  • Optima VX (double battery)

All variants are available in four colours:

  • Red
  • Grey
  • Blue
  • White

Features of Hero Electric Optima

  • Digital Instrument Cluster: The stylish digital instrument cluster provides all the necessary information such as speed, battery percentage, and distance covered.
  • Telescopic Suspension: The advanced telescopic suspension negotiates every uneven road such as potholes and speed breakers efficiently.
  • USB Port: The scooter comes with a USB port that enables riders to charge their mobile and electronic devices while on the move.
  • Alloy Wheels: Apart from enhancing the scooter’s looks, the 12-inch alloy wheels make it lighter and steadier.
  • LED Headlamp: The dazzling light-emitting diode (LED) headlamp and the polycarbonate-based lenses give good illuminance in the dark.
  • Portable Battery: Only Optima HX (single battery) and Optima HX (double battery) come with a portable battery.
  • Remote Lock and Anti-Theft Alarm: The feature also gets equipped with Optima HX single and dual battery.
  • Regen Braking: The vehicle’s Regen braking system converts the kinetic energy lost while applying brakes into stored energy in the battery.
  • A Single-piece Pillion Grab Rail: At the rear end of the seat, Electrica Optima gets a single-piece pillion grab rail to allows pillion riders to hold for added safety.
  • Step-up Seat: The ergonomically designed step-up seat evenly distributes rider and passenger weight. It works to provide greater comfort and a better riding experience for both.

Pros and Cons of Hero Electric Optima

Pros

  • Its light curb weight makes it easy to handle
  • The 12-inch wheelbase gives good stability to the scooter
  • The vivid LED lamps to make it safe for nighttime travel
  • The VX (double battery) variant gives a good mileage

Cons

  • The LX (VRLA) variant’s battery takes a long time to charge
  • No variant has even one disc brake
  • All variants have a low load capacity
  • The price of the LX variant is the highest among all the variants

Specifications & Features

Power & Performance

  • Fuel Type
    Electric
  • Max Power
    --
    Max Power
    250 W
    Max Power
    250 W
  • Rated Power
    --
    Rated Power
    250 W
  • Max Torque
    --
    Max Torque
    250 W
  • Transmission
    Automatic
  • Riding Range
    65 Km
    Riding Range
    50 Km
    Riding Range
    85 Km
  • Gradeability
    --
    Gradeability
    7 Degree
    Gradeability
    7 Degree
  • Top Speed
    25 Kmph
  • Battery charging time
    --
    Battery charging time
    8-10 Hrs
    Battery charging time
    4-5 Hrs
  • Fast charging time
    --
    Fast charging time
    No
    Fast charging time
    No
  • Carrying capacity
    --
    Carrying capacity
    150 kg
    Carrying capacity
    150 kg
  • Battery capacity
    --
    Battery capacity
    0.96 kWh
    Battery capacity
    --
    Battery capacity
    1.536 kWh
    Battery capacity
    --
  • Battery type
    --
    Battery type
    Lead Acid
    Battery type
    Lithium-Ion
  • Motor type
    --
    Motor type
    BLDC Hub Motor
    Motor type
    BLDC Hub Motor
  • Charger output
    --
    Charger output
    6A
    Charger output
    6A

Brakes, Wheels & Suspension

  • Braking System
    --
    Braking System
    CBS
    Braking System
    CBS
  • Front Brake Type
    Drum
  • Front Brake Size
    --
    Front Brake Size
    130 mm
    Front Brake Size
    130 mm
  • Rear Brake Type
    Drum
  • Rear Brake Size
    --
    Rear Brake Size
    130 mm
    Rear Brake Size
    130 mm
  • Calliper Type
    --
    Calliper Type
    No
    Calliper Type
    No
  • Wheel Type
    Alloy
  • Front Wheel Size
    16 inch
    Front Wheel Size
    12 inch
    Front Wheel Size
    12 inch
  • Rear Wheel Size
    16 inch
    Rear Wheel Size
    12 inch
    Rear Wheel Size
    12 inch
  • Front Tyre Size
    16 x 3 Inch
    Front Tyre Size
    90*90 12
    Front Tyre Size
    90*90 12
  • Rear Tyre Size
    16 x 3 Inch
    Rear Tyre Size
    90*90 12
    Rear Tyre Size
    90*90 12
  • Tyre Type
    Tubed
  • Radial Tyres
    No
  • Front Suspension
    Telescopic Fork
    Front Suspension
    Telescopic Suspension
    Front Suspension
    Telescopic Suspension
  • Rear Suspension
    --
    Rear Suspension
    Telescopic Suspension
    Rear Suspension
    Telescopic Suspension

Dimensions & Chassis

  • Kerb Weight
    86 kg
    Kerb Weight
    68 kg
  • Overall Length
    --
  • Overall Width
    --
  • Overall Height
    --
  • Wheelbase
    --
  • Ground Clearance
    140 mm
  • Seat Height
    --
  • Chassis Type
    Reinforced High Strength Steel Chassis

Manufacturer Warranty

  • Battery warranty
    --
    Battery warranty
    1 Year
    Battery warranty
    3 Year
  • Motor warranty
    --
    Motor warranty
    3 Year
    Motor warranty
    3 Year

Features

  • Odometer
    Analogue
    Odometer
    Digital
    Odometer
    Digital
  • Regenerative breaking
    --
    Regenerative breaking
    Yes
    Regenerative breaking
    Yes
  • Reverse mode
    --
    Reverse mode
    No
    Reverse mode
    No
  • Touch screen display
    --
    Touch screen display
    No
    Touch screen display
    No
  • DRLs (Daytime running lights)
    --
    DRLs (Daytime running lights)
    No
    DRLs (Daytime running lights)
    No
  • Mobile App Connectivity
    --
    Mobile App Connectivity
    No
    Mobile App Connectivity
    No
  • GPS & Navigation
    --
    GPS & Navigation
    No
    GPS & Navigation
    No
  • Central locking system
    --
    Central locking system
    No
    Central locking system
    No
  • Artificial sound
    --
    Artificial sound
    No
    Artificial sound
    No
  • Parking assist
    --
    Parking assist
    No
    Parking assist
    No
  • Hill assist
    --
  • Anti theft system
    --
    Anti theft system
    No
    Anti theft system
    No
  • Geo fencing
    --
    Geo fencing
    No
    Geo fencing
    No
  • Start/stop button
    --
    Start/stop button
    Yes
    Start/stop button
    Yes
  • USB charging port
    --
    USB charging port
    Yes
    USB charging port
    Yes
  • Front storage box
    --
    Front storage box
    Yes
    Front storage box
    Yes
  • Under seat storage
    --
    Under seat storage
    Yes
    Under seat storage
    Yes
  • Speedometer
    Analogue
    Speedometer
    Digital
    Speedometer
    Digital
  • Tachometer
    --
    Tachometer
    No
    Tachometer
    No
  • Stand Alarm
    --
    Stand Alarm
    No
    Stand Alarm
    No
  • Stepped Seat
    --
    Stepped Seat
    No
    Stepped Seat
    No
  • No. of Tripmeters
    --
    No. of Tripmeters
    1
    No. of Tripmeters
    1
  • Tripmeter Type
    --
    Tripmeter Type
    Digital
    Tripmeter Type
    Digital
  • Low Battery Indicator
    --
    Low Battery Indicator
    Yes
    Low Battery Indicator
    Yes
  • Pillion Backrest
    --
    Pillion Backrest
    No
    Pillion Backrest
    No
  • Pillion Grabrail
    --
    Pillion Grabrail
    Yes
    Pillion Grabrail
    Yes
  • Pillion Seat
    --
    Pillion Seat
    Yes
    Pillion Seat
    Yes
  • Pillion Footrest
    --
    Pillion Footrest
    Yes
    Pillion Footrest
    Yes
  • Start Type
    Electric Start
  • Shift Light
    --
    Shift Light
    No
    Shift Light
    No
  • Killswitch
    No
    Killswitch
    No
  • Clock
    --
    Clock
    No
    Clock
    No
  • Headlight Type
    Halogen And Bulb Type
    Headlight Type
    LED Head Lamp
    Headlight Type
    LED Head Lamp
  • Brake/Tail Light
    --
    Brake/Tail Light
    Bulb Type
    Brake/Tail Light
    Bulb Type
  • Turn Signal
    --
    Turn Signal
    Bulb
    Turn Signal
    Bulb
  • Pass Light
    No
    Pass Light
    Yes
    Pass Light
    Yes
  • Additional features
    --
    Additional features
    Bag Hook, Round Charging Point, Glove Box, USB Port, Bold Styling, Maximum Comfort, Aerodynamic Body Design, Large & Comfortable Seat, Stylish Wheels
    Additional features
    Bag Hook, Round Charging Point, Glove Box, Bold Styling, Maximum Comfort, Aerodynamic Body Design, Large & Comfortable Seat, Stylish Wheels

Expert Reviews

  • Hero Electric Optima is a lightweight, practical, and easy-to-ride scooter with four variants and great features. It borrows the look of a conventional scooter and gets all the characteristics and qualities of a reliable two-wheeler.

  • Two variants belong to the low-speed category, and the other two belong to the high-speed category. The former gets powered by a 250-watt motor. However, the latter runs on a 550-watt BLDC motor.

  • Both the standard features like- digital instrument cluster, telescopic suspension, combo braking, LED headlamp, and additional features like- remote lock, single-piece grab rail enhance convenience for rider and passenger.

  • The step-up seat- another eye-catching feature in Electrica Optima, makes it more appealing. It’s generally in high-end motorcycles because of their comfort and ergonomically friendly for riders and passengers.

  • The ground clearance of 165 mm and telescopic suspension system make it easier to negotiate bad roads and uneven surfaces like potholes and speed breakers.

  • Barring Optima VX (double battery), the rest three variants are not suitable for long rides but get exceptionally economical and convenient for short ones.

Top 3 Competitors of Hero Electric Optima

The specifications and features of Optima give a tough competition to:

  • Bajaj Chetak
  • TVS iQube
  • Okinawa iPraise+
  • Avon E Mate

Let’s take a look at some aspects of the scooters and how they compare with each other.

Price

The price of the Optima scooter model ranges from Rs 51,440 to Rs 67,440 (ex-showroom).

Bajaj Chetak carries a price tag of Rs 1 lakh to 1.15 lakh.

TVS iQube comes with an ex-showroom price tag of Rs 100,777.

Okinawa iPraise+ costs Rs 1.18 lakhs, and Avon E Mate is up for grabs for Rs 45,000.

Charging time

The Optima LX (VRLA) gets charged in eight to 10 hours, while the other variants take four to five hours.

Bajaj Chetak takes five hours to get fully charged and just an hour to reach 0-25% charge. TVS iQube requires nearly seven hours to get fully charged.

Okinawa iPraise+ takes four to five hours to be 100% charged. Lastly, Avon E Mate needs six to eight hours to get fully charged.

Distance covered

Optima electric scooters have a distance coverage capacity between 50 km/charge and 122 km/charge.

Bajaj Chetak can cover 95 km on a single charge.

TVS iQube has a mileage of 75 km per charge.

Okinawa iPraise+ can travel 139 km in full charge.

Avon E Mate covers a 65 km distance per charge.

Battery

Optima LX (VRLA) has a 48V / 20Ah lead-acid battery, while the other three variants each have a 51.2V / 30Ah Lithium-ion battery. Bajaj Chetak gets fed by a 3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

On the other hand, TVS iQube gets powered by a 2.25 kWh lithium-ion battery. Okinawa iPraise+ includes a 3.3 kWh lithium-ion detachable battery. Avon E Mate comes with a 48 V, 20 Ah lead-acid battery.

Motor

Optima LX (VRLA) and LX are propelled by a 250-watt BLDC motor, while both HX variants get powered by a 550-watt BLDC motor.

However, Bajaj Chetak gets propelled by a 3.8 kW electric motor. TVS iQube gets driven by a 4.4 kW motor. Okinawa iPraise+ gets revved up by a 1000-watt BLDC motor. A 188-watt motor powers Avon E Mate up.

Conclusion

Hero Electric Optima is a good scooter whose top-speed variants offer great value for money.

Among Hero Electric’s product offerings, Optima has the highest number of variants so far. It is among the best electric scooters available in the Indian market, and it gives different options to different types of buyers.

All in all, it’s a better two-wheeler to purchase and ride amid the rising fuel costs and pollution.

Frequently asked questions about Optima:

How long the battery of Optima takes to charge?

Optima LX (VRLA) takes eight to 10 hours to get fully charged. The other three variants take four to five hours.

What is the top speed of Optima?

The top speed of low-speed variants is 25 Kmph, and it’s 42 Kmph for high-speed variants.

Is Optima suitable for long journeys?

Except for Optima HX (double battery), all other variants are not suitable for long-distance journeys.

Optima’s body is made up of what?

The body of the scooter gets made from high-grade automobile plastics.

What is the warranty period of Optima?

Optima LX (VRLA) gets:

  • The scooter gets a three-year warranty
  • The battery gets one year warranty

However, the other variants get a three-year warranty on both.

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