√Mahindra adopts Volkswagen electric car tech, could come to Australia

Volkswagen’s electric car platform will soon find its way under a new-generation of Mahindra cars, with Australian arrivals under consideration.

Indian car giant Mahindra has previewed five electric SUVs based on Volkswagen underpinnings, with the new models under consideration for the Australian market.

Mahindra – which is best known locally for its heavy-duty Pik-Up ute – showed off the new electric vehicles this week, with plans to offer five cars across two sub-brands.

Two models will be sold under the carmaker’s XUV sub-brand, named the e8 and e9, while the remaining three SUVs will be released in markets such as the UK under new sub-brand BE.

The company also this week inaugurated its new electric vehicle design studio in the UK. Known as Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE), the hub will be key to the carmaker offering its future models in the region as it eyes a global expansion.

While the new models aren’t set to enter production until 2024 at the earliest, Drive understands the models are being considered by Mahindra’s Australian arm for local release.

The company’s push into electric SUVs for international markets is set to be fast-tracked, thanks to a new relationship with Volkswagen Group.

The Indian manufacturer showed off its new ‘Inglo’ electric vehicle architecture at a presentation this week – underpinning all five SUVs from the XUV and BE brands – which is understood to be derived from Volkswagen’s ‘MEB’ chassis.

Mahindra says the Inglo models will be offered with either a single 170kW electric motor powering the rear wheels, or dual electric motors powering both axles for a combined output of 250kW – the latter allowing a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of less than six seconds.

Mahindra says the vehicles will be offered with a battery capacity of between 60kWh and 80kWh, with a 175kW fast-charge capability allowing a recharge to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes – but driving range is expected to be published at a later date.

The modular platform is shared across the Volkswagen Group and found in models including the battery-powered Skoda Enyaq, Audi Q4 E-Tron, Volkswagen’s ID family, and the forthcoming Cupra Born hatchback.

Mahindra is the second company to adopt outside the Volkswagen Group to adopt the platform, with Ford announcing plans in March to build a mid-size SUV with MEB underpinnings in 2023.

The new SUVs represent a significant advancement for Mahindra, with the company naming its new design language ‘heartcore’.

Mahindra Group CEO Dr Anish Shah says the launch of the company’s new strategic direction shows it “to be an organisation that will be counted among the best in the world and at the same time rise for our planet to fight against climate change.

“Mahindra will offer customers future-ready technology, head-turning design, world-class products and the benefits of global partnerships. By 2027, we expect that a quarter of the SUVs we sell will be electric,” he added.

The first of the new Mahindra electric SUVs is expected to go on sale overseas in 2024, with an Australia release not yet ruled out.

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