Mahindra had showcased 5 electric SUV concepts under the XUV and BE sub-brands last year. The company will launch 2 e-SUVs – XUV.e8 and XUV.e9 – under the XUV nameplate, while the BE range will include BE.05, BE.07 and BE.09. These SUVs will be developed on the new born electric INGLO skateboard architecture. The first electric SUV based on the Born-EV platform will be launched in our market by December 2024, while the BE.05 is scheduled to be launched in 2025.
Mahindra is testing multiple SUVs including the 5-door Thar, XUV300 facelift and the Bolero Neo Plus. Adding to it, the company has started testing the XUV.e8 and the BE.05 electric SUVs on the Indian roads. The new INGLO modular platform is compatible with different powertrain options, wheelbase, track dimensions, and AWD & RWD layouts. The XUV.e8 aka XUV700 electric shares the styling and seating arrangement with its ICE counterpart.
In terms of proportions, the XUV.e8 is 4,740mm long, 1900mm wide and 1760mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2762mm. Compared to the XUV700, the electric SUV is 45mm longer, 10mm wider and 5mm taller, and it has a 7mm longer wheelbase. On the flip side, the BE.05 EV will be positioned above the XUV400 in Mahindra EV lineup. It measures 4370mm in length, 1900mm in width and 1635mm in height, and with a wheelbase of 2775mm. Thanks to the flat floor and longer wheelbase, the new EVs are likely to offer more space inside the cabin compared to the ICE cars.
Both electric SUVs will have a common battery pack design based on two cell architectures – Blade and Prismatic. The Battery Management System is claimed to offer improved range along with safety & longevity. Mahindra has confirmed that the XUV.e8 and the BE.05 e-SUVs will come fitted with a battery pack of around 60-80 kWh along with RWD & AWD system. The powertrain is likely to offer a power output in the range of 230bhp to 350bhp.
