Inside Mahindra’s Plans To Become India’s #1 Electric Car Maker
Many might say that Mahindra is late to the EV game, but they are here to win. The Indian carmaker’s EV plans sound extremely promising. Mahindra plans to become India’s number-one electric car maker in the upcoming years. The latest electric SUVs from the manufacturer- the BE 6 and XEV 9e are both readying for market debuts. The carmaker recently revealed the prices of the range-topping variants of these, and seems like both have been placed competitively. Let’s now delve into the details of Mahindra’s EV game plan…
Mahindra’s EV Dominance: The Road To It
The BE 6 and XEV 9e will play key roles in Mahindra’s EV onslaught. Both these vehicles have the potential to become runaway hits, like many of the Indian giant’s recent launches. Considering the initial public sentiment towards these, Mahindra expects the BE6 and XEV bookings to soar.
The Electric Origin SUVs will be manufactured with the help of Mahindra’s new state-of-the-art EV manufacturing and battery assembly facility at its Chakan plant.
They target monthly production of 5,000 units of the XEV 9e and BE 6 initially. The EV production capacity of the Chakan facility will soon be ramped up to 7,500 units a month ( or 90,000 units a year). This should enable the carmaker to fulfil the orders on time. If needed, the numbers can be taken all the way to 1.2 lakh per year.
Endless waiting is often associated with contemporary Mahindra launches due to their high demand and the manufacturer’s limited production capabilities. The carmaker seems to be very serious about the EV business and has announced a capex of Rs 16,000 crore for the electric vehicle business between the FY22-27 cycle.
Mahindra will continue to expand its EV portfolio. The deliveries of BE6 and XEV 9e will commence by March this year. The manufacturer will showcase more models at the upcoming Bharat Mobility Expo 2025. These showcases will give us more clues on where the company’s EV vision is heading.
Mahindra will also launch 2 more electric SUVs in 2025: the XUV 3XO EV and the XEV 7e. The 3XO EV will likely slot in as the successor/replacement to the ageing XUV 400, while the XEV 78e will be the EV version of the XUV 700. When launched, the four of these will enable Mahindra to dominate the segment.
Tata And MG Could Have A Tough Time!
Tata Motors has been the dominant player in the Indian EV space, till when it started being closely chased by MG recently. Both manufacturers have competitive all-electric products. Mahindra’s emergence as the new EV predator could give both Tata and MG tough times. When launched, the portfolio consisting of XUV 3XO EV, XEV 7e, 9e and BE 6 will probably be one of the strongest in the segment. There will be a Mahindra or two available to battle the likes of the upcoming Harrier EV, Safari EV, Sierra EV and the outgoing Nexon EV. With the four models, Mahindra hopes to do nearly 10,000 units a month- and become India’s largest EV maker!
It could beat these manufacturers with just the BE6 and XEV 9e, in numbers. Both Tata and MG produce around 5,000 units of EVs every month, and Mahindra could do better with the proposed 6,500 monthly units, known to be realised soon.
Newer players like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai could also face serious threats from the Mahindra EVs. Hyundai is readying its Creta EV for an Indian launch, and Maruti is known to launch the eVitara soon.
Tata Motors Preparing To Fight Back
Tata Motors is preparing to fight back by expanding and refreshing its EV portfolio. The Tiago.EV which happens to be one of the most affordable EVs in the country, has received a bunch of notable updates. Tata Motors has also given the Nexon EV the larger 45 kWh battery pack. The Curvv.EV is in decent demand, Punch.EV selling well, and a slew of electric SUVs- the Harrier EV, Safari EV and Sierra EV- are in the pipeline. Thus, the fight between these Indian giants will only intensify in the coming months.