Mahindra ready for EV battle, readies two SUVs for November 26 unveil

Mahindra is all set for its biggest push in India's electric vehicle (EV) segment and has confirmed it will introduce two electric brands in the country - XEV and BE - at an event in Chennai on November 26. Mahindra will also usher in two all-electric SUV offerings, one each under the XEV and BE brand, in the form of XEV 9e and the BE 6e.

While Mahindra XUV400 was the company's first dabble into the EV market in the country, this is for the first time that the company will make a very serious foray and the models under both XEV and BE brands will be electric-origin INGLO architecture.

Elaborate details about the Mahindra XEV 9e and the BE 6e are not yet known because Mahindra has been keeping specifics under wraps. But the vehicles have been spotted under camouflage multiple times, out and about on test runs.

For now, Mahindra claims that its XEV 9ewill offer a luxurious driving experience, complete with cutting-edge looks from the outside and a feature-loaded cabin within. As for the Mahindra BE 6e, the company states that it will be primarily positioned as a sporty drive option.

India's EV landscape

The EV movement in India has been primarily led by two and three-wheelers. A number of new players have emerged to challenge the established champions to gain a chunk of the market pie.

In contrast, the electric passenger vehicle space has been very small with around 91,000 units being sold in financial-year 2023/24. Tata Motors has a lion's share of the market and offers a number of models, from Tiago EV to the recently-launched Curvv EV. JSW MG Motor India also offers models like Comet EV, Windsor EV and ZS EV.

Hyundai and Kia currently offer Ioniq 5 and EV6, respectively. Both models are priced upwards of ₹45 lakhs (before taxes). Kia also drove out its EV9 recently and it is priced at over ₹1.20 crore.

But the electric-car game in India is all set for a major shot in the arm with Hyundai promising to drive in Creta EV soon and Maruti Suzuki readying its eVX for a spring 2025 launch.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.