Mahindra XUV300 EV & eKUV100 launch timeline unveiled

Mahindra is working on entering the electric vehicle market. They first showcased the XUV300 EV at the Auto Expo 2020, they were calling it eXUV300 back then. They also showcased the KUV100 EV which was being called eKUV100. Now, the launch timelines of both electric vehicles have been revealed.

According to ET Auto, Mahindra will be launching the eKUV100 by the end of this year. The small electric SUV is in its final stage of testing. It is supposed to be the most affordable mass-market electric vehicle in India. The electric SUV is supposed to have a driving range of around 250 km which is more than enough for city usage. However, the real-life driving range could be around 150 km.

There will be a 15.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that will power an electric motor. The setup would be capable of generating about 54 Bhp of peak power and 120 Nm of peak torque. If you use fast charging then the battery is capable of recharging from 0 to 80 percent in just 55 minutes. The media report also says that Mahindra might change the vehicle name to e2o because KUV100 was not very well received in the Indian market as a product.

Also read: Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car: New TVC released

Mahindra is trying to price it under Rs. 10 lakhs. At Auto Expo 2020, Mahindra did announce that they will price the eKUV100 at Rs. 8.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), including the FAME subsidy. Since then, a lot of things have happened, the manufacturing cost has increased, there is a shortage of batteries and semiconductors so there is a possibility that the prices could have been increased. We would have to wait for the official launch of the eKUV100 to get the correct price.

Then we come to the Mahindra XUV300 EV or eXUV300. The electric compact SUV launch in India early next year. It would go directly against the Tata Nexon EV which is currently the best selling electric vehicle in the Indian market.

There are reports that Mahindra wants to differentiate the XUV300 EV from its internal combustion-powered counterpart. So, they might call the electric version, XUV400. Earlier, this nameplate was reserved for a mid-size SUV that would have been positioned between the XUV300 and the XUV700. However, there is a possibility that XUV400 is just a codename for internal use and the production version is called something else.

The XUV300 EV would be offered in two variants. There would be a regular version and a long-range model. The regular version would have enough range for daily commutes and chores whereas the long-range version would be for people who are thinking of using the electric SUV for long journeys. The regular version will have a driving range of around 200 km whereas the long-range model will have a driving range of 375 km.

Mahindra teasing new electric vehicles

The homegrown manufacturer is also teasing new electric vehicles, they are calling them born electric vehicles. That probably means that they will be based on the electric skateboard platform or the new vehicles will be developed as electric vehicles from the ground up. Not much is known about these vehicles. They could be all-new vehicles or they could be electric versions of the current vehicles. ET Auto says that these vehicles could launch in the next 3-5 years.

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Also read: Tata Nexon price increased; Diesel variants discontinued