Couple Buy Mahindra XEV 9e, Conduct Real World Range Test: 500 Kms Achievable? [Video]
Mahindra’s latest offerings, the XEV 9E and BE6, have begun deliveries, and we are now seeing videos and images of people sharing their experiences with the EV. Many popular personalities have also purchased the Mahindra EV. Here, we have a video from a couple who recently bought a Mahindra XEV 9E. Not only did they purchase the car, but they also conducted a real-world range test to check its driving range.
The Test
The couple, along with their child and brother, decided to embark on a road trip in their newly purchased XEV 9E. The owner charged the car to 100 percent at home before starting their journey. As he was still getting familiar with the settings and features of the XEV 9E, it took him some time to figure out how to reset the trip meter.
The goal was to drive the car from 100 percent charge down to 0 percent. This way, they could determine whether the car could actually deliver a real-world range of 500 km. The driver was initially skeptical and mentioned that he would be more than happy if the car offered a 450 km range.
They started their journey and soon joined the highway, maintaining a speed of around 80 kmph. The driver also engaged adaptive cruise control. The regenerative braking system only started working after the battery charge dropped below 95 percent.
He noticed that the HUD in the XEV 9E displayed navigation as well as the nearest charging station. He was pleased with this feature, as it eliminated the need to search for charging stations manually while driving.
They were traveling from Meerut to their hometown, which is around 200 km away. Once they exited the highway and entered the city, the regenerative braking became more aggressive, suggesting that the owner was likely using single-pedal driving.
They stopped multiple times for snacks, leaving the car on each time. By the time they reached their hometown, they had covered 217 km, and the instrument cluster displayed a remaining range of 285 km.
Feeling more confident, the driver now aimed to reach the 500 km mark. After visiting home, the couple resumed their journey towards Mathura and then joined the Yamuna Expressway. The drive consisted of mixed conditions, including traffic jams in the city and open stretches on the expressway.
The owner is not a fan of automatic emergency braking, as they almost had an accident due to it. While attempting to drive through a narrow gap, the system detected an obstacle and applied the brakes. A biker approaching from behind almost crashed into their car.
They did not charge the car at all and continued driving with 28 percent battery remaining. Determined to complete the test, the owner decided to drive until the instrument cluster showed 0 percent charge. When the charge dropped to 20 percent, the low battery warning appeared, but the car still displayed an estimated range of 81 km. Despite the low charge, all features in the car were functioning properly, and it could still reach 80 kmph. The owner noted that the throttle response had become more linear. Some of the ADAS features, however, had stopped working.
Hoping to fully deplete the charge, they drove into a city to find a charging station. Eventually, they got bored and continued their journey home. When the charge dropped to 2 percent, they actively searched for charging stations, but most of them were non-functional. Finally, they found a basement charging station.
The Result
By the time they plugged in the car, the battery had reached 0 percent, yet the car was still moving. The driver was not overly concerned about running out of charge, as they were close to home. Once plugged in, the display showed that the car had covered 497 km on this trip. Adding the 4 km before resetting the trip meter, the total distance covered was 501 km.
This was an impressive number, especially considering that the car was driven mostly on highways with climate control and other features activated. The owner was satisfied with the overall range and appreciated the comfort and ride quality of the EV.