6E ENOUGH?

The Mahindra BE 6e wants to be the sporty character in the firm's new electric portfolio. Does it live up to that billing?

- Kurt Morris

Competition fuels innovation, and Mahindra has taken its time to develop an electric vehicle line-up worthy of the evolving market here. The BE 6e and XEV 9e represent Mahindra's leap forward into this world, and they're a far cry from earlier attempts like the eVerito, which was India's first all-electric sedan. While it was a pioneering effort, it lacked the finesse, technology, and performance we now expect from modern EVs. Fast forward to today, and Mahindra has introduced its Born Electric series, ground-up EVs that mark a significant shift from using internal combustion engine platforms. These models, based on the new INGLO platform, promise everything — range, safety, performance, handling and features — and from what we told you about the XEV 9e earlier today, they deliver, too.

The INGLO platform is the cornerstone of Mahindra's new EV strategy. Engineered from scratch for electric mobility, it incorporates advanced features such as semi-active dampers, a five-link independent rear suspension, and cutting-edge 'brake-by-wire' technology. The platform supports two battery options — 59 kWh and 79 kWh — with the ability to charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes, using a 175 kW DC fast charger. Mahindra claims that the 79 kWh battery delivers an ARAI-certified range of 682 km, though real-world conditions suggest a more practical range of around 500 km. This is a significant improvement over the XUV400, highlighting Mahindra's commitment to competitive battery technology.