Mahindra & Mahindra is working on a wide range of all-electric SUVs for the Indian market. The company will launch the new eKUV100 and the electric version of the XUV300 by early 2023. Mahindra has also teased 3 new electric concept SUVs under the brand’s new ‘Born Electric Vision’. These concepts will make global debut in July 2023.
The three concepts will be based on a new, bespoke Born Electric EV platform. A new media report claims that Mahindra is not only focusing on skateboard architectures or monocoque based EVs. In fact, the company is also exploring electric SUVs based on the body-on-frame architecture.
At the Pune Alternate Fuel Conclave 2022, Anish Shah, MD & CEO at Mahindra Group, said, “There is a concern around SUVs, as far as emissions are concerned, that positions electric SUVs very well, and they are already in existence today. In fact, all our [electric] launches are going to be SUVs only, and we will also, as a next step, look at body-on-frame with electric on SUV.”
Details about the body-on-frame electric SUVs are yet to be revealed. However, Mahindra could be working on the electrified Bolero and the Scorpio. The company is preparing to introduce the new-generation Scorpio in the country. It is expected that the new platform could be updated to accommodate an electric powertrain. The electric version of the Bolero could work as a possible solution to smaller towns and rural markets.
Most of the automakers are avoiding introducing electric SUVs based on ladder frame architecture. Vehicles based on ladder-on-frame architecture are heavy and have packaging issues. In fact, Tata Motors has completely moved away from ladder frame passenger vehicles. The company has introduced the Nexon EV and the Tigor EV based on the front-wheel-drive monocoque platform.
Toyota has recently showcased an electric concept of the Innova MPV at the Indonesia International Motor Show in Jakarta. Weight, pricing and range are challenges with an electric version of the ladder-frame-based Innova. It is reported that Toyota had showcased the vehicle to gauge customer interest. In fact, Toyota has started testing a new MPV, codenamed 560B based on the front-wheel-drive DNGA platform. This model could replace the current Innova.
Source – AutoCarIndia
