Mahindra XUV400 will have an overall length of 4.2 metres, making it bigger than the sub-four-metre IC-engined XUV300 it is based on
Mahindra & Mahindra will reportedly introduce the electrified XUV300, which could go by the name XUV400, in the opening quarter of the next calendar year (January to March 2023 period). This has been confirmed by Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, M&M at a virtual press conference while announcing the final quarter results for FY2021-22. He also noted that it will have an overall length of 4.2 metres – bigger than the sub-four-metre IC-engined XUV300.
The XUV300 is based on the SsangYong Tivoli’s X100 platform and despite being a powerful compact SUV, the bootspace capacity was a downer for many. The homegrown SUV maker could have re-engineered the platform to fit the battery pack. The company will reveal its first Born Electric Platform in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2022 and it aims to become the number one ‘core SUV’ producer by the middle of this decade.
Besides gearing up to launch the Scorpio N on June 27, 2022, Mahindra has also been teasing a trio of Born Electric vision based zero-emission vehicle concepts and they were confirmed to debut in July. They will play a key role in Mahindra’s plans to introduce as many as eight eco-friendly models by 2027 (13 SUVs in total across different disciplines).
Amongst the eight planned e-SUVs, four will be brand new launches and are expected to arrive between 2025 and 2027 while the remaining share of products will be based on the current portfolio. Only a few days ago, Mahindra announced a partnership with VW for exploring the possibilities of using the MEB platform’s components like battery systems, cells and electric motors.
The upcoming Mahindra Born Electric architecture is a testament to the big push from homegrown brands in the EV space as Tata Motors unveiled the Gen 3 skateboard through the Avinya concept just a while ago. Mahindra has also invested around Rs. 1,900 crore for expanding its capacity including EVs for FY23 and FY24 as it focuses on improving productivity in the years to come.
Mahindra expressed that the basic ECU availability has improved encouragingly and the waiting period of its models is expected to come down amidst production ramp-up. But the chip shortage will continue this year until the capacity is built up. The brand is also increasing production of the Scorpio N in advance as it expects a high booking tally but it is certain to see a waiting period.