In a conversation around its new identity, VIDA’s Kausalya Nandakumar explained why the refresh is not a rebrand but a visual representation of Hero’s legacy and VIDA’s future.
When VIDA launched in 2022, the electric mobility brand was introduced with a distinctly contemporary identity. It was backed by Hero MotoCorp, but it also wanted to carve out its own space in India’s emerging EV market.
Four years later, VIDA is leaning more visibly into that relationship.
On July 1, the Hero MotoCorp-owned EV brand unveiled a refreshed visual identity centred around a new geometric “V” lettermark, extracted from the logo of its mother brand, “Hero”. It is brought to life by “The VOOM” a kinetic mark, motion language and electric sonic signature, designed to work everywhere, from a motor to a digital dashboard.
The rollout coincides with the birth anniversary of Hero MotoCorp Chairman Emeritus Dr Brijmohan Lall Munjal, a date the company often uses internally to mark significant announcements.
In an exclusive interaction with Storyboard18, Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer, Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp, explained why VIDA’s newly unveiled brand identity is less about a rebrand and more about visually expressing a relationship the company says has always existed: VIDA powered by Hero.
The new symbol draws directly from Hero’s iconic “H” logo. According to Nandakumar, the left pillar of the Hero emblem was reinterpreted and tilted forward by 30 degrees to signify motion and progress. A parallel stroke was added to represent VIDA’s own journey.
The resulting visual language, she said, reflects “Hero’s legacy and VIDA’s future moving together.”
“The colours of this new logo carry our ambition forward. The deep black and white give VIDA wordmark strength, clarity, and a sophisticated presence. The vibrant orange brings energy, optimism, and the spark of movement. Together, they express a brand that is rooted in trust and alive with possibility,” she added.
The refresh comes as India’s EV market matures beyond early adopters and becomes increasingly driven by affordability, practicality and wider adoption. However, Nandakumar insists VIDA’s strategy has not shifted. Instead, the brand has expanded significantly since its launch with the V1 scooter.
Over the past few years, VIDA has broadened its portfolio with offerings such as the VX2 scooter and its battery-as-a-service model. The DIRT.E is a sub-brand for recreational mobility and future concepts under the NOVUS platform. Electric motorcycle concepts developed with Zero Motorcycles further signal the company’s ambitions beyond urban commuting.
“We are not changing the name. The VIDA typeface remains the same,” Nandakumar said, describing the update as an amplification of the brand rather than an overhaul.
She described the move as an amplification rather than an overhaul, arguing that VIDA has always spoken about being “VIDA powered by Hero” but lacked a visual shorthand that represented that relationship.
The new identity, she suggested, provides the missing visual shorthand.
Industry observers have often viewed VIDA as a startup-like venture operating with a degree of separation from Hero MotoCorp’s main brand. The new logo appears to collapse that distance by explicitly borrowing from Hero’s design language.
Nandakumar, however, rejected the idea that VIDA had ever deliberately separated itself from its parent.
“I don’t think VIDA ever shied away from the legacy,” she said.
According to her, the brand has always been positioned as “VIDA powered by Hero,” with Hero’s endorsement forming a key part of its identity from the outset. The new logo, she argued, merely makes that relationship more visible.
Another example reinforced her point. Hero MotoCorp Executive Chairman Dr Pawan Munjal has consistently served as one of VIDA’s most visible advocates since launch. “There has never been an opportunity where we’ve not tried to bring both worlds together,” she said.
Asked what blind spot rival EV manufacturers might have regarding Indian consumers, she declined to compare VIDA against competitors and instead returned to customer needs.
“For us, everything is rooted in customer insight,” she said. “If we identify a need and have a strong way to address it, making it accessible and aspirational, we will do so.”
The answer reflected a recurring theme throughout the discussion: accessibility.
In the company’s official statement accompanying the launch, Nandakumar described today’s consumer as someone seeking “an upgrade to their life” and expecting it to be reliable and within reach. That thinking, she said, guided both the brand’s product strategy and the new identity.
Perhaps the most revealing moment came when the discussion shifted from branding to the organisation.
When asked about the challenges of building a software-driven EV business within the structure of a legacy manufacturing company, Nandakumar offered an insight into how Hero sees the relationship.
She framed Hero’s industrial heritage and VIDA’s startup-style ambitions as complementary rather than conflicting forces. “It is a great privilege,” she said, “to have both the strong foundational roots of what Hero has and to be able to build the future of mobility in the electric space that VIDA has.”
Also read:Ola Electric ordered to repair faulty scooter free of cost, pay advocate Rs 45,000 for deficient service
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