Mahindra has gave details about its vision of an electric car lineup, unveiling five new pre-production electric SUVs. Mahindra also announce that it will differentiate its future line of EVs by offering them under two new sub-brands call as XUV and BE.
What will be Mahindra offer under new XUV brand?
The XUV lineup will be for the all-electric versions of ICE, petrol and diesel, Mahindra models, like the Mahindra XUV.e8 is the electric version of the Mahindra XUV700.
The only other XUV model showcase so far is the Mahindra XUV.e9 which looks like the coupe version of the Mahindra XUV e8 with a more premium cabin.
What will be Mahindra offer under BE brand?
The BE lineup is for the dedicate EV models with no ICE counterparts.
As not confirm by Mahindra, but you can expect these initials for ‘Born Electric’.
These models will follow the same Heartcore design philosophy as the other Mahindra EVs, but still look quite different and futuristic.
According to the Mahindra, the brand is pronounce the same as the word ‘BE’.
Diffrence between BE And XUV brands?
As the Indian carmaker will be offering two types of EVs, it makes it easier to distinguish each type from the rest of the portfolio.
Just the way Hyundai has models with petrol and electric versions in its regular lineup while its new-gen dedicate EVs are part of the Ioniq brand, Mahindra can offer different names and experiences between petrol, electric counterparts, and dedicate EVs with multiple sub brands.
And the likes of petrol and diesel power Mahindra XUV300 and Mahindra XUV700 will continue to be part of the traditional Mahindra lineup, they’re not under a separate XUV sub-brand.
The all-electric versions of these models such as the Mahindra XUV400 and the recently unveile Mahindra XUV e8 will now be part of the newly establish XUV lineup.
It may be a bit confusing at first, but it will likely become easier when the models start co-existing on the road.
Both will feature the Mahindra Twin Peak logo but the electric XUV models will feature that logo in a distinctive copper colour.
Both brands base on the same INGLO Platform
As Mahindra is bringing out two different types of EVs in two different sub-brands, both will be come under the new INGLO platform.
Modular by design and capable of both skateboard and ICE-related EV models, the XUV and BE electric SUVs will be based on modified versions of the same architecture.
The BE models will get the skateboard layout or peak design efficiency.
There will be two battery sizes, 60kWh and 80kWh, with choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive powertrains.
When will Mahindra XUV and Mahindra BE models will launch?
Mahindra has already outline the launch schedule for four of the five EVs it showcase on 15th August 2022.
The first to arrive will be the EVs from the XUV lineup, starting with the Mahindra XUV e8 in December 2024 follow by the Mahindra XUV e9 in April 2025.
The first Mahindra BE model schedule to arrive in October 2025.
The Mahindra BE 07 is due a year later with no date confirm for the flagship BE 09 electric SUV.
All about Mahindra INGLO Platform For Electric SUVs
New unveile lineup of Mahindra electric SUVs are under a new platform call as INGLO.
Its name represents the manufacturer’s roots and its aspirations, IN for India and GLO for Global.
The INGLO platform models of different sizes for varying segments.
It is scalable in terms of wheelbase, length and width.
That’s how it can under everything from the 4.7-metre-long Mahindra XUV e8 to the 4.3-metre-long BE 05 to the nearly 5-metre-long BE 09.
Like other EV platforms, this one also offers the benefit of a flat floor, except for XUV-based models that also have ICE counterparts.
The flat floor allows for increase cabin space, versatile seating configurations and a frunk (front luggage space instead of an engine).
The INGLO platform can has battery packs of two different capacities, 60kWh and 80kWh.
The battery back design will be common between Mahindra EVs and uses two different cell architectures, ‘Blade’ for the larger battery and ‘Prismatic’ for the smaller battery pack.
These batteries can handle fast charging of up to 175kW for charging up to 80% under 30 minutes.
The 80kWh battery is good for a WLTP-rate range of 450km.
The electrical architecture of INGLO-based EVs also have Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality.
It allows one to use the energy store in the car’s battery pack to power other electronic items such as household appliances and gadgets.
Mahindra EVs on the INGLO platform will get the choice of rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive powertrains.
As they feature a single unit design that combines electric motor, inverter and transmission into one neat package.
The rear engine setup can be tune to produce between 231PS and 285PS with the torque output ranging between 360Nm and 560Nm.
The AWD variants will offer between 340PS and 395PS of performance.
The front engine on its own is rated at 109PS and 135Nm.
While the INGLO platform is develop by Mahindra, it will have EV-centric components built by the Volkswagen Group.
The battery packs and electric motors are share components from the VW MEB dedicate EV platform.
So, these India-made EVs will boast of German technology as well.
The design of the INGLO platform offers underbody weight saving, especially with its skateboard layout.
It is built for enhance aerodynamics and has the electronic architecture for a clever battery management system that maintains the balance between range and performance from the electric drivetrain.
Mahindra EVs based on this platform will use clever brake-by-wire technology optimise for energy recuperation.
The Mahindra INGLO platform is design to have the computing performance require for advance technological features.
This would include tech for infotainment, autonomous capabilities, safety features and vehicular dynamics.
So, EVs built on this platform can offer more ADAS tech, OTA updates for software and new features and 5G connectivity.
All five EVs that were showcase are equip with at least three large displays on the dashboard, which would need serious computing power for the long list of features Mahindra plans to offer.
Mahindra has one of the leading brands in India when it comes to offering safe cars, as test by Global NCAP.
The new range of EVs base on the new INGLO platform are also targeting five out of five stars as per the latest GNCAP regulations.
Mahindra has state that the EVs feature a structural cage around the passenger cabin for increase protection.
The battery pack design also has a key focus on safety with a robust to keep it from getting too damage in an accident.
The cell chemistry is heavily test for thermal and chemical stability in various environments to avoid battery-relate incidents as well.
