XUV.e range to sit alongside new BE range of electric SUVs; both series share same INGLO architecture; XUV EVs to come from 2024 onwards; BE EVs due from 2025
16 Aug 2022 | 7228 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Mahindra & Mahindra chose India’s 75th Independence Day to have the big reveal of its new range of electric SUVs. Based on Mahindra’s new INGLO platform, the five upcoming born-electric SUVs have been categorised into two distinct sub-brands – XUV.e and BE.
The XUV.e sub-brand will have two ...
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Mahindra & Mahindra chose India’s 75th Independence Day to have the big reveal of its new range of electric SUVs. Based on Mahindra’s new INGLO platform, the five upcoming born-electric SUVs have been categorised into two distinct sub-brands – XUV.e and BE.
The XUV.e sub-brand will have two models under it – XUV.e8 and XUV.e9 – while the newly constituted BE sub-brand will have three models under it – BE.05, BE.07 and BE.09. All five electric SUVs will share the same INGLO platform and battery module, although they will differ in their specific outputs.
Mahindra’s XUV brand is already well known with its range of ICE models. The XUV.e sub-brand uses a new identity. The twin peak logo on the XUV range of EVs will have a new copper finish and will be the first models that make it to production, starting from 2024.
The BE range of EVs, due from 2025 onwards, will have a markedly different look with C-shaped LED headlamp and tail lamp elements and sharply cut body surfaces.
Mahindra XUV.e8
The first model to make it to production will be the XUV.e8, slated for launch in December 2024. This essentially is an electric counterpart of Mahindra’s current flagship SUV, the XUV700. Although the XUV.e8 is based on the INGLO platform, it is conceptually similar to the XUV700 – it carries forward the same basic layout, same silhouette and same three rows of seats.
The design, however, has been tweaked sufficiently to make it stand out as an EV. It gets a new look with full-width LED light bars that drop down into the bumper and closed-off front grille. The face also features angular cuts, bumper-mounted headlamps and a sharply contoured bonnet. The rear-end, however, is quite similar to the ICE-powered XUV700.
Mahindra has revealed dimensions of the XUV.e8 to be 4,740mm in length, 1,900mm in width and 1,760mm in height. It will have a wheelbase of 2,762 mm. That means the XUV.e8 will be 45mm longer, 10mm wider and 5mm taller than the XUV700, while the wheelbase will be longer by just 7mm.
Mahindra has also confirmed that it will come with an all-wheel drive system and the battery pack will range up to 80kWh. Power outputs will range between 230hp to upwards of 350hp.
Mahindra XUV.e9
The second model under the XUV.e9 brand will come in April 2025. It’s not an electric counterpart of any existing model, but a completely new vehicle with a coupe-like design. Mahindra has revealed the dimensions of the XUV.e9 to be 4,790mm in length, 1,905mm in width and 1,690mm in height. The XUV.e9 will have a wheelbase of 2,775mm. Unlike the XUV.e8, the XUV.e9 will be a 5-seater model.
In terms of design, it draws inspirations from the XUV Aero concept, and it also bears some resemblance with the XUV.e8 in terms of the LED lighting elements, bumper-mounted headlamp units and closed-off front grille. But what really sets it apart is the coupe-like design at the rear and a flat, stubby tail section. It also wears prominent gloss-black cladding all around that’s not there on the XUV.e8. In terms of technical specifications, it will likely to be similar to that of the XUV.e8.
Mahindra BE.05
Starting the BE range is the BE.05 coupe-SUV whose production version is set to arrive in October 2025. Labelled as a Sports Electric Vehicle, or an SEV, the BE.05 boasts of an aggressive front-end with angular C-shaped headlights and large airdams. The rest of the front design features plenty of sharp cuts and creases with a prominent air-duct on the bonnet.
From the side, the BE.05 shows off large wheels and squared-off wheel arches with generous use of black to give it a rugged look. It features flushed door handles placed at the very top of the door, uninterrupting the prominent shoulder line. Being an SUV-coupe, it features a sloping roofline that neatly merges into the chunky rear-end. At the back, the BE.05 features an upright, C-shaped tail-lamps and a heavily styled bumper.
On the inside, the BE.05 features a decidedly driver-focussed cabin, with the centre console neatly dividing the driver and passenger area. The highlights on the inside are the large twin touchscreens and a two-spoke steering wheel. It also has a rotary control for the gear lever and a large gear selector.
Mahindra has revealed the dimensions of all its models and the BE.05 measures 4,370mm in length; 1,900mm in width and 1,635mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,775mm. The four-metre-plus SUV is likely to sit above the XUV400 in Mahindra's EV line-up, and will take on the production version of the Tata Curvv, which is set to arrive in 2024.
Mahindra BE.07
Mahindra will launch the production version of the BE.07 SUV in October 2026. Unlike the coupe-SUV profile of the BE.05, the BE.07 has a traditional SUV design. It retains the C-shaped headlights and tail-lights, but they are less angular than the BE.05. From the side, the design of the BE.07 is not as edgy as the BE.05, but some elements like the large wheel arches and flushed door handles remain the same.
The BE.07 previews a tech-laden and practical cabin with a giant screen that covers the full length of the dashboard. Also notable inside the BE.07 is the large panoramic sunroof. Mahindra seems to have done away entirely with physical controls for the BE.07, instead relying only on touch and haptic feedback.
Measuring 4,565mm in length, 1,900mm in width and 1,660mm in height, it is marginally larger than the BE.05. However, it has the same 2,775mm wheelbase. Given its midsize SUV dimensions, it will sit between the current Hyundai Creta and the Mahindra XUV700.
Mahindra BE.09
The BE.09 is the final unveiling from Mahindra’s BE range, and, like the BE.05, it is a coupe-SUV. However, Mahindra is yet to reveal the dimensions or the estimated timeline for the BE.09 concept. From the look of it, the BE.09 appears to be the coupe-version of the BE.07 and, as such, will sit at the top of the BE line-up. Like the BE.07, it features a more upright front design and a more prominent coupe-like sloping roofline compared to the BE.05. Mahindra says the BE.09 will be a four-seater.
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