Mahindra BE6 Dark Edition: Why We Think It's A Convertible
Recently, a lot has been brewing at Mahindra. We'll get to see these in detail today and tomorrow, at the Freedom_NU mega event, in Mumbai. We know that at least four vision cars will be showcased, and in a surprising move, Mahindra has put out a video teaser of an upcoming car. It seems to be of a dark-themed BE6. After careful analysis of the teaser video, we think it is a convertible that's coming. Here are all our reasons to believe so.
The Teaser
The BE6's current palette consists of eight colours, including a shade of Black- the Stealth Black to be precise. The Dark edition is expected to add a new shade to the pool, which could likely be Satin Black. The teaser suggests so.
The video has a mysterious air to it. We get to see glimpses of the upcoming electric SUV. These are portrayed in a way that the key areas and panels of the design are shown, strobbing with a light bar. In one shot, we get to see a long shot of the car parked in a dark space. It feels as if we're getting a quick glance at the design when the lightning flashes.
It looks like the video production team has used a single, powerful, high-mounted light source to create the flash. This means that the light would leave reflections on the Satin Black bodywork and create White patches. Several elements, like the headlamps, lip etc, look like the ones found on the BE6. Upon closer inspection, we get to know that these feature minor tweaks in design, over those found on the regular BE6.
Look closely and you'll see these on the car's bonnet, front windscreen, and even on the Black seats. Now, this is exactly why we believe that this is a convertible. The light source is kept high up, towards the front-left of the car. There is no way that the flash would reach the top of the front headrests, if the car had a proper roof. The BE6, if you'd recollect, comes with a tight, coupe-like roof line.
To make things easier for you to comprehend, we have enhanced the screengrab from the video, to bring out more details of these light patches.
The way the seat silhouettes are lit up, confirms that the roof here is rolled down! We could possibly be looking at the first convertible electric SUV from the Indian carmaker. Mahindra has called this 'the surprise of a lifetime' and has tried its best to keep it undercover. Not anymore, surprise lost!
What remains to be seen is whether this electric SUV will come with a convertible soft top or an electric hardtop. Considering the targeted price point, a soft top remains the most probable.
Expected Specifications
Mahindra has based the BE6 (and the XEV 9e) on its in-house developed INGLO platform. Two battery packs are offered- 59 kWh and 79 kWh- both sourced from BYD. These are likely to be offered on the dark edition as well. It, however, remains to be seen if the carmaker will keep the dark edition limited to the 79 kWh battery alone.
Speculations within the industry also suggest that the vehicle could be equipped with all-wheel-drive (AWD) as well. It will then have a dual motor setup and possibly even a slightly larger battery pack. We will get to know more about these later today.
A BE6 Convertible Makes Much Sense
Image: AI render
The Mahindra BE6 has a peak power of 285 PS and a torque of 380 Nm. It can sprint to 100 kph from a complete standstill in just 6.7 seconds. Thus, a convertible based on the BE6 can make much sense, as it can deliver a proper wind-in-the-hair experience to the driver.
MG has started the electric convertible race in India with the Cyberster. The production-spec BE6 convertible can be comfortably priced under Rs 40 lakh, undercutting India's only convertible electric car by a large margin. Yes, it will be a lot slower than the sports car, but will still deliver an enjoyable 'roof down' experience on a budget!