  The long-lived and optically addressable spin states of silicon vacancies
($\mathrm{V}_\mathrm{Si}$) in 4H-SiC make them promising qubits for quantum
communication and sensing. These color centers can be created in both the
hexagonal (V1) and in the cubic (V2) local crystallographic environments of the
4H-SiC host. While the spin of the V2 center can be efficiently manipulated by
optically detected magnetic resonance at room temperature, spin control of the
V1 centers above cryogenic temperatures has so far remained elusive. Here, we
show that the dynamic strain of surface acoustic waves can overcome this
limitation and efficiently excite magnetic resonances of V1 centers up to room
temperature. Based on the width and temperature dependence of the acoustically
induced spin resonances of the V1 centers, we attribute them to transitions
between spin sublevels in the excited state. The acoustic spin control of both
kinds of $\mathrm{V}_\mathrm{Si}$ centers in their excited states opens new
ways for applications in quantum technologies based on spin-optomechanics.
