On 75th I-Day, M&M unveils e-mobility plan with five new electric SUVs

On India’s 75th year of Independence on Monday, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) took the wraps off its five electric SUVs. The auto giant also showcased a new electric vehicle (EV) platform INGLO at the company’s newly-established Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE) at Oxfordshire in the UK.

“Breaking new ground, the all-new e-SUVs will create an electrifying presence, both on the road and off it, while retaining the Mahindra core SUV heritage,” the company said.

India’s nascent e-passenger vehicle (e-PV) market, which mostly comprises the electrified version of the internal combustion engine (ICE) models, is set to see several so-called Born Electric (BE) models starting from 2024.

Mahindra’s arch rival Tata Motors, which has a head start in India’s e-PV market, plans to launch the Avinya, its pure electric car in 2025.

Ola Electric, the latest entrant in the EV market, also announced on Monday its plans to launch a maiden pure electric car by 2024. India — among all the emerging Asian countries — is estimated to reach a production milestone of 600,000 units by 2030, according to a recent McKinsey research report.

Sales of e-passenger vehicles in India have jumped more than 5x to 10,083 units in the second quarter of 2022, compared to 2,263 units in the same period a year ago, according to JATO Dynamics.

Mahindra’s e-SUVs — which will go on sale by 2024-end, will be housed under two new brands initially — XUV, with the twin peak logo in copper, and the all-new electric-only brand called BE.

The brands will be manifested through five e-SUVs under XUV.e8, XUV.e9, BE.05, BE.07 and BE.09. The first four of these are to be launched between 2024 and 2026, the company said. The upcoming models will be based on the three pillars of brand, design and technology.

The brand XUV will host a range of products that builds upon the Mahindra legacy while embracing the future. The BE brand, with its new design language, will target customers who want to “define their life’s journey their own way while making a difference,” the company said.

“We are proud and delighted to showcase our Born Electric vision. It provides a strategic direction that is in line with our core philosophy of ‘Rise’ — to be an organisation that will be counted among the best in the world. And, at the same time, rise for our planet to fight against climate change,” said Anish Shah, managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO), Mahindra Group.

Mahindra will offer customers future-ready technology, head-turning design, world-class products and the benefits of global partnerships, he said. “By 2027, we expect that a quarter of the SUVs we sell will be electric,” Shah said in the statement.

Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director — auto and farm sectors —M&M, said, “Our vision of Born Electric is underpinned by the future-ready INGLO platform, two new exciting brands and the Heartcore design philosophy.

The INGLO platform, which uses Volkswagen’s MEB platform components, encapsulates progressive battery technology, platform architecture, brain power and human machine interface. In a statement, Mahindra said both the companies signed a term sheet on the supply of MEB electric components for Mahindra’s INGLO platform.

The co-operation intends to have a volume of more than one million units over its lifetime and includes the equipment of the five SUVs with MEB components, it said. Moreover, the two companies will explore further opportunities for collaboration, opening the door to a broader strategic alliance.

TOP GEAR

• Mahindra unveils five e-SUVs
• They would go on sale from 2024 to 2027
• Also showcases new EV platform
• -All e-SUVs to be housed under two new brands — XUV and BE
• Mahindra expects 25% of its total SUVs to be electric by 2027