Mahindra XUV800 will become the first electric model to sit on the dedicated Born Electric skateboard architecture and will have its battery cells sourced from VW
Mahindra will debut the Born Electric range of EV concepts in the United Kingdom on August 15 and they have already been teased multiple times. The homegrown SUV specialist is planning to unveil as many as five electric vehicle concepts and they hold plenty of importance for the brand’s future zero-emission passenger SUV lineup.
A recent report that emerged on the internet suggests that one of the five models coming out will be the near-production EV version of the XUV700. Internally codenamed W610, it could carry the XUV800 nameplate with the design heavily influenced by the successfully running XUV700. It is suspected to have the same 2.75 m wheelbase and body panels.
It will have to be waited and seen how the roofline will turn out to be. The front and rear of the upcoming electric SUV will likely be different and it will sit on the new born electric skateboard architecture. With XUV400 compact electric SUV (based on XUV300) coming out later this year or in early 2023, the Mahindra XUV800 could follow up a year later.
However, it will become the first SUV to be underpinned by the dedicated EV platform. With the architecture allowing for an optimised cabin with a roomy interior and flat floor, we can expect it to be larger in overall proportions compared to the IC-engined XUV700. It will more likely have the latest Adrenox connectivity with ADAS-based functionalities.
The interior is believed to offer an upmarket appeal with less use of physical buttons. A large touchscreen infotainment system, a fully-digital instrument cluster, a wireless charging pad, a large panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, powered seats, a 360-degree camera system and more are high possibilities.
The Mahindra XUV800 will source battery cells and electric motors from Volkswagen’s MEB electric platform. The prismatic cells will be imported from VW’s facility in Germany. All other critical components including the battery pack and battery management system are expected to be sourced from Mahindra’s manufacturing unit in Chakan, Maharashtra.
It could offer multiple battery configurations with a claimed driving range of more than 500 km on a single charge while a dual electric motor setup driving all four wheels could also be made available.