The local division of Mahindra has confirmed it plans to bring at least one of the company’s upcoming range of electric vehicles (EVs) to Australia.
Mahindra Automotive Australia marketing manager James Halliwell explained at the local media launch of the Scorpio SUV the company will “evaluate some of those models for this market” and will likely launch an EV here around 2025 or 2026.
The first of these five Mahindra electric SUVs, dubbed the XUV.E8, is set to go on sale in India by the end of 2024. It’ll be followed by four others to be launched there in the following years.
At this stage it’s unclear which of the five upcoming EVs Mahindra is evaluating for a local launch. The brand also currently produces an electric version of its XUV400, a rebadged SsangYong Tivoli crossover, though its future is unclear.
As previously reported, these five electric SUVs will slot into two new sub-brands: XUV.e, which features a copper-hued version of Mahindra’s existing Twin Peaks badge and promises to “build upon the Mahindra legacy”; and BE, which will offer vehicles with more “audacious” styling.
All of them will be produced at a new EV plant in Chakan, India alongside the existing production facility for its internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Mahindra has invested $3 million in this new EV plant and construction is currently underway.
These EVs will use electric motors, battery system components and battery cells used in vehicles on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture, which underpins models like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Cupra Born.
They will be based on a new modular platform called Inglo, which will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with a capacity between 60-80kWh.
Mahindra says it will offer two different cell architectures: blade and prismatic. The platform supports fast-charging at up to 175kW and vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality.
Inlgo-based models will offer either 170kW-210kW rear-wheel drive or 250kW-290kW all-wheel drive powertrains, with the latter offering 0-100km/h times of between five and six seconds.
No claimed range figures have been quoted to date.
Once these Mahindra electric SUVs arrive in Australia, they will join the range of diesel-powered SUVs and utes in the line-up.
These diesel-powered vehicles include the recently launched Scorpio, upcoming XUV700, as well as the Pik-Up.
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