MAHINDRA ELECTRIC ORIGIN SUVS BE 6e & XEV 9e

The EV bandwagon is up for quite a revamp with Mahindra's next unveiling on the 26th of November at Chennai. The teasers show the upcoming vehicles under Mahindra's EV umbrella, the BE 6e and XEV 9e.

So, how are EVs better exactly? Isn't range anxiety a huge issue still? There is not enough charging infrastructure. How about the environmental impact of battery production? Questions are many and they are being addressed too.

Apart from enormous positive effects on the environment in terms of lower emissions and, in turn, lower carbon footprint, EVs hold significant advantages over their ICE counterparts and are beneficial in the long term for many reasons. Beginning with 40 percent reduced lifecycle emissions than ICE vehicles which have the potential to grow up to 80 percent, to lower long-term running costs, EVs come with more pros than cons.

Our country has a slew of new EVs to choose from. However, they are generally electric versions of their ICE counterparts, making it difficult to call them electric-origin EVs. The key difference between the two remains to be exclusive architecture, futuristic design, performance, and most importantly, pricing. Pricing being the most crucial factor for the Indian consumer, is something which needs to be addressed seriously.

The government is doing just that through multiple initiatives, including significant tax reductions on EVs in comparison to the high taxes on ICE and hybrid vehicles and also subsidies for manufacturers. Here is where Indian auto giants like Mahindra come in who with their upcoming electric-origin SUVs are potential major players in this sector who wish to revolutionise the EV industry with their upcoming eSUVs.

The recently teased BE 6e, and the XEV 9e are the SUV and Coupe SUV iterations of a pure electric vehicle based upon their new INGLO Electric Origin Architecture. The development of the new platform took the expertise of 250-plus global partners to bring the best of global tech and indigenously build an eSUV of the future. This architecture liberates opportunities which are not possible in most mainstream EVs that are adapted from ICE platforms and hold the potential to build an advanced EV revolution.

The new eSUVs are going to be power and feature-packed to the brim and will be competing fiercely with luxury vehicles, claiming to have features beyond any ICE or EV of its segment. With 59 kWh and 79 kWh battery options delivering power outputs in the figures of 170-210 kW, the eSUVs are quite a force to reckon with.

The futuristic design that we see in the teasers takes major cues from the concept car, which was unveiled earlier, making the design of the eSUV quite futuristic and exciting. The latest architecture is flexible and allows multiple options, liberating space for a large boot, frunk and seating for multiple body styles. Who knows we could get ourselves a convertible EV too in the near future.

In terms of tech, no stones have been left unturned. A new Snapdragon chipset operating three screens with a new Human Machine Interface software makes the experience sound futuristic too. In-car cameras monitor the driver and passengers for better safety. Talking about safety, the eSUVs are going to get all the features currently present in the premium XUV700 along with Level 2+ ADAS supported by 5 Radars and 360-degree camera and 11 sensors for enhanced safety. Safety measures are being called class-leading and are generally features we get to see in premium cars worth 50 lakhs and above. The eSUVs are also looking into entertainment with a 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system for those drive jams.

The EV infrastructure in India is constantly growing with aid in the form of finance, infrastructure and policy-making. All of these are converging to build an electrified future addressing all global climate commitments made by the country. This makes India the next potential giant in terms of tech, mobility and all-over electrification, and with leading car makers like Mahindra exploring affordable pure EV tech and building cars that fit the bill on all accounts, the future surely looks electric. For now, the near future sounds pretty exciting as we wait for further information on eSUVs at the launch.

Words - Anirjit Hore