Mahindra Rules Out New Micro SUV; Focusses More On EVs

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Mahindra’s new MD and CEO has dismissed launching new sedans, hatchbacks and small SUVs as the brand focusses on driving in core products

The new Managing Director & CEO of Mahindra & Mahindra Anish Shah has stated in a recent interview that the brand would not be making hatchbacks, sedans and small SUVs as it intends to stick by its traditional route of developing and selling SUVs. Moreover, he has reiterated the homegrown company’s focus on bringing out electric vehicles.

To develop and launch new electric vehicles, Mahindra has planned a huge investment of more than Rs. 3,000 crore in the short terms and the business will be expanded as the years go on. Acknowledging the strong competition from rivals such as Tata Motors, Hyundai, Kia and MG, he said, Mahindra would focus on launching “true blue” large SUVs that form the core part of its business model.

If anything, the history has suggested that Mahindra’s foray into the sedan and hatchback spaces did not go well – Verito and Verito Vibe for example and its association with Renault for the Logan. Moreover, the KUV100, which opened up the micro SUV segment, did not endure massive success. For the betterment of the future, Mahindra concentrates on going big with a lineup of EVs with the Pininfarina brand.

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The Italian brand’s high-end Battista electric supercar will be limited to 125 examples but the electrification tech derived from it will “bring the ‘born electric’ platforms in India.” according to him. Shah emphasised on the good reception for the second generation Mahindra Thar, which went on sale in October 2020 and is on a high demand with more than 50,000 bookings.

The product “strike zone” starts from Bolero and XUV300 amongst the crop of latest models. He did not ruled out the possibility of forming an electric sub-brand for Mahindra with the Pininfarina badge either. He further explained: “We’ve got some very good products for last mile mobility and we now have a separate division within the company focused on last-mile mobility.”

Shah appears to have been influential in Mahindra scaling down its operations in North America, where it had a long court battle with Jeep over Roxor. Mahindra is actively looking at partners for its Korean subsidiary SsangYong and openly stated to not invest further in the loss-making unit.

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