Mahindra is working on actively expanding its EV portfolio. It has a slew of launches planned, the first of which will be the XUV700 EV. We have recently been seeing multiple mule spottings of this. A new sighting from Nashik has revealed key details of its interior. A picture shared by Deepen Patwa and taken online by Rushlane shows the XUV700 EV prototype to have three large screens on the inside, spanning along the width of the dashboard. The electric XUV 700 will mostly be called the XUV.e8, when launched.
XUV.e8 To Get Triple Displays
As seen in the spy pictures, the dashboard features three large displays, each around 10.25 inches (speculated) neatly integrated into a seamless single bezel. It is to be noted that the picture here, was shot at night and therefore the prominent partitions between these screens are visible. The centre display is the main infotainment screen, likely to support wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay like those on most modern Mahindras.
The driver’s display will show essential vehicle information and navigation details alongside essentials like the speedometer. It will not be a touchscreen. The third screen is dedicated to the front passenger, and its exact function remains unclear.
It could either act as an extension of the infotainment system or serve a hybrid function of infotainment and instrumentation. This display appears to show music or radio controls in the spy shots, but its full purpose will only become clear over time.
The concept of the third screen – the co-driver display, is fairly new to India. We aren’t used to these and most of us have no clue as to what to expect to find these. In that case, let us serve you with some quick information. The co-driver screen could be used for infotainment. It could display info on the song that’s being played, and show the corresponding album art. It could also be used to play videos in the future.
Currently, various legal and safety regulations do not permit video playback on the main infotainment screen. However, on the passenger display, things will be safer, as the video is visible primarily to the passenger and not the driver. Thus, it will likely cause minimal distractions to whoever is driving the vehicle. Many premium and high-end vehicles get such screens.
Another possible function is providing detailed driver and vehicle information to the front passenger. Since the e8 is an EV that’s claimed to be fast and agile, giving the co-driver a display of 0-100 acceleration timing or a second speedo or trip meters would be interesting. This display will most likely be a touchscreen.
The future generations of Apple CarPlay will offer custom gauges, more dynamic content integration and selectable layouts and widgets, trying to make the in-car experience more wholesome. Such moves will likely go well with this triple-screen setup.
What Else Do We Know About The XUV.e8?
The exterior design of the e8 will borrow a lot of its cues from the outgoing XUV 700. Spy pictures also confirm the same. There will, however, be ample differentiation as well. For instance, the mule has EV-spec closed-off wheels probably with low-resistance tyres. Other bits like the grille and bumpers too will be different from the ICE counterpart. A notable change is also expected in the lighting signature. The charging port will likely sit where the fuel filler is on the 700.
The XUV.e8 will be underpinned by Mahindra’s new INGLO born-electric platform, and will likely feature an 80 kWh battery pack, providing a claimed range of around 500 km. Previous sightings confirm a rear motor, hinting at the possibility of a dual-motor AWD version as well.
