Mahindra To Intensify Push For Electrification

• Mahindra Group MD and CEO Anish Shah confirmed that the carmaker is open for future alliances in developing EVs. 

• The carmaker already has an electric technology plant in Bangalore producing batteries, and a new manufacturing unit in its Chakan plant for producing EVs.

• Mahindra is expected to launch the eKUV100 and the eXUV300 in the country.

Mahindra is intensifying its electric journey with the announcement that it will invest upto Rs 3,000 crore on its EV business within the next three years. This is on top of the Rs 1,700 crore Mahindra’s already invested beforehand and another Rs 500 crore on a new research and development (R&D) centre. 

The new investment will be used to develop a dedicated EV platform, a first for an Indian carmaker. Currently, the carmaker has the Mahindra Electric Scalable Modular Architecture (MESMA) range of battery packs that are spread out to the MESMA 48, MESMA 72 and MESMA 350. The MESMA 350, which was showcased at Auto Expo 2020, is compatible with electric motors ranging between 60 kW to 280 kW, dual motor concepts and battery sizes up to 80 kWh.  

As for the EV infrastructure, Mahindra already has an electric technology plant in Bangalore that produces batteries, and has invested in a new manufacturing unit in its Chakan plant for manufacturing electric vehicles. Mahindra Group Managing Director and CEO Anish Shah has also confirmed that the carmaker is open for future alliances with other manufacturers for developing EVs. 

In the meantime, Mahindra has a couple of EVs that debuted at Auto Expo 2020, expected to go on sale  in India. The first is the eKUV100, and the other the eXUV300 that’s likely to be priced from Rs 18 lakh (ex-showroom India) onwards. While the eXUV300 will have the Tata Nexon EV to compete against, the eKUV100 should rival the Tiago EV.

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