Vinfast VF6 Vs Mahindra BE6 Electric SUVs: How Do They Compare?
Vietnamese automaker Vinfast has given its electric SUVs- VF6 and VF7- aggressive positioning in the Indian market. The VF6 is the smaller and more affordable of the two. With its ex-showroom starting price of Rs 16.49 lakh and smart packaging, the VF6 has unsettled a slew of electric SUVs- from the Windsor EV to the Mahindra BE6. In a previous article, we explained how the VF6 compares to the Windsor Pro. Here, we’ll explain how the VF6 compares with the Mahindra BE6. This comparison, again, is based on on-paper specifications alone, as we are yet to drive the Vinfast.
Dimensions
Before we start, it needs to be admitted that comparing the VF6 with the BE6 may not really be an apples-to-apples comparo. You’ll find significant differences between the two on multiple fronts. In dimensions, the BE6 is 4371 mm long, 1907 mm wide, and has a height of 1627 mm. The wheelbase stands at 2775 mm.
The VF6, on the other hand, is smaller. It spans 4,241 mm in length, 1,834 mm in width, and 1,580 mm in height. At 2,730 mm, the wheelbase is shorter as well.
Design
The two SUVs differ a lot in their exterior designs. The BE6 excels with its styling. It looks edgy with a lot of sharp lines and clean surfaces. It has a bold stance and looks radical from most angles. The BE6’s design language attracts a lot of eyeballs. The BE6 comes with all-LED lighting, 20-inch EV-spec wheels on the top-spec, flush-fitting door handles, and a coupe-like roofline. The colour palette consists of eight shades.
Designed by Italy’s Torino Design house, the VF6 looks modern and aerodynamic. It has neatly drawn body lines and slick surfaces. The door handles, however, are regular pull-type units (and are more convenient to operate).
The electric SUV gets a ‘V’ shaped grille, wide DRLs, split projector headlamps, LED turn indicators, 18-inch wheels (which interestingly, lack an aero-optimized design), tapering roofline, rear LED strips, and good-looking tail lights. The VF6 comes in six mono-tone colours- Zenith Grey, Crimson Red, Jet Black, Urban Mint, Desat Silver and Infinity Blanc.
Of the two, it is the BE6’s design that packs more drama. The VF6 has a rather minimalistic styling, but still looks good.
Interior And Features
The Vf6 has kept its cabin design minimal yet practical. The dashboard looks clean. You’ll find a large 12.9-inch touchscreen taking the centre stage. Most controls of the car have been integrated into this display. A bunch of physical buttons can also be seen on the dashboard. These are for selecting the drive modes- Drive, Neutral and Reverse. There’s a customisable hot key offered as well.
The range-topping variant’s feature list consists of an eight-way powered driver seat, dual-zone automatic AC, Head Up Display (HUD), front row ventilation, air purification system, an eight-speaker audio system, 360 camera, Level 2 ADAS and Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPla. The AC vents have been neatly integrated into the dashboard.
Like the exterior, the BE6’s cabin looks fancy and packs a lot more appeal. It offers features like a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, ambient lighting, AR-based Head Up Display (HUD), a wireless charging pad, dual-zone climate control, auto park assist, an in-car camera, 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with Dolby Atmos, level 2 ADAS, 360 degree camera, powered driver’s seat with memory function and support for OTA updates.
Both EVs come with full-size glass roofs. But the Mahindra’s roof has LED strips integrated into it. On the safety front, both SUVs feature seven airbags. Clearly, the BE6 offers more features and a better cabin experience than the VF6.
Powertrain Specifications
The BE6 has a better powertrain. It is underpinned by Mahindra’s indigenously developed INGLO platform. The rear-axle-mounted electric motor produces 281hp and 380Nm on the top variant. Two battery packs are offered- 59 kWh and 79 kWh- both sourced from BYD. The larger battery pack has an ARAI range of 682km per charge.
The lower variant, pack ONE with its 59 kWh battery pack, has 228 bhp and 380 Nm on offer. The range here, is slightly lower at 557 km per charge.
The VF6, on the other hand, comes with a single battery pack- a 59.6kWh unit. The vehicle gets a front wheel drive layout and has 201 bhp and 310 Nm on offer. It has a claimed range of up to 468km. Clearly, the BE6 has better specifications than the VF6.
Even on the performance front, the BE6 outsmarts the VF6. It has a 0-100kph sprint time of 6.7 seconds, while the Vinfast takes 8.9 seconds for the same.
Bottomline
The BE6 packs more punch than the VF6, but is priced much higher as well. It is priced in the range of Rs 18.90 Lakh and Rs 29.17 Lakh, ex-showroom. The VF6 is much cheaper. It starts at Rs16.49 lakh and the top-spec has an ex-showroom price of 18.29 lakh. The lower variants of the BE6, which miss out on many of the flashy features and come with the 59 kWh battery pack would compete with the higher variants of the VF6.