Mahindra could electrify its body-on-frame SUVs in the future; the eXUV300 monocoque SUV is expected to launch in early 2023
Mahindra & Mahindra is expected to launch the production version of the eXUV300 concept showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo in early 2023 and it could go by the name XUV400 while the facelifted version of the IC-engined XUV300 will reportedly be introduced in January 2023. By the middle of this calendar year, Mahindra will more likely debut the second generation Scorpio as well.
The Scorpio is based on new ladder-frame construction and it will be built from the group up and is expected to be powered by a 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel engine found in the Thar with different power and torque tuning. Also developed from scratch, the homegrown manufacturer will host the world premiere of three EVs in their conceptual form, based on the Born Electric Vision range.
They will be unveiled in July 2022 and they will act as a precursor to the brand’s future design philosophy and they will be underpinned by the dedicated Born Electric EV architecture. While acknowledging that all of his brand’s EV launches will be of SUVs, Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO at Mahindra Group told that body-on-frame vehicles could also be electrified.
If it turns out to be the case, we could see the arrival of the zero-emission Bolero and Scorpio. Both the SUVs are highly popular with rural and urban customers, and thus they could target the masses in their eco-friendly avatar as well. It will be interesting to see how Mahindra overcomes the packaging difficulties the ladder frame chassis will bring in as it is originally developed to adopt ICE powertrains.
Tata Motors currently sells the Nexon EV based on the revised X1 platform and is looking at bringing in models based on a new Sigma and a dedicated skateboard architecture in the future. The upcoming XUV400 is expected to be pitted directly against the market-leading Nexon EV and it could be offered in two battery configurations. The Nexon EV will be updated with a larger 40 kWh battery pack offering a higher range soon.
A recent report emerged on the internet suggested that Mahindra could launch the eKUV100 by the end of this year. The latest products such as the second generation Thar and all-new XUV700 have been well received amongst customers while one of the upcoming Born Electric EVs could be the XUV900 SUV coupe.