Upcoming Electric SUV: New electric vehicles are rapidly entering the Indian automotive market. Tata Motors is at the forefront of this segment. The company is continuously expanding its EV portfolio and preparing to bring its flagship Harrier and Safari in the electric version. Mahindra will introduce its XUV 700 in the electric version to compete with both cars.
Spot Happened During Testing
The Mahindra XUV E8 (Electric XUV700) rival to the Harrier EV and the Safari EV was recently spied testing in Chennai, which shows that Mahindra wants to launch it as soon as possible. Competition in the EV space is increasing day by day. The new spy shots have spotted the testing mule with orange cables at the rear. Automotive powertrains have colour-coded cables.
A blue-coloured cable can take power from about 36V to 42V, while an orange cable can take up to 1000V. These are also called HV cables (high voltage cables). These orange cables carry HV AC or DC between the charger, inverter, motor and battery. XUV.The K test mule is at the rear, indicating an AWD setup with a rear-mounted single-motor or dual-motor layout.
Based On New Platform
Mahindra’s INGLO platform, sourced from Volkswagen, supports single-motor and dual-motor layouts. We can also see a free rear suspension setup, which will give more comfort to the back seat. Tata Indica and Indigo offered Rear-free suspension, but these days it is not seen in cars from premium and luxury brands.
Powertrain
The Mahindra XUV700 Electric or XUV E8 will be based on Volkswagen’s sourced MEB EV platform, renamed INGLO. It is a modular and scalable platform that can be adjusted for different designs. Mahindra has revealed that it can get a battery pack between 60 and 80 kWh, in which both single and dual motor layouts can be found.
Features and Launch
It will get all the features from the XUV 700, including ADAS tech, flush door handles, a 5-star crash-rated body shell, a panoramic sunroof, power adjustable driver’s seats with memory function and much more. The XUV E8 prototype features a free-standing triple-screen layout on the dashboard, which is likely to be found in the production model. It can be launched in late 2024 or early 2025.
Who Will Compete
This car will compete with Tata Harrier EV, which the company can launch next year. It will be a premium electric SUV ranging up to 500 km.
