Mahindra XUV300 Electric or eXUV300 spied for the first time on public roads
Mahindra & Mahindra is one of the pioneers in India’s growing electric mobility space. The brand had showcased a range of electric products at Auto Expo 2020; in both concept and near-production formats. The company plans to launch EV versions of its popular ICE portfolio at some point in time; starting with the eKUV100 and eXUV300. Mahindra also aims to enter the electric quadricycle segment with the quirky-looking Atom.
Now, the Mahindra XUV300 Electric aka eXUV300 has been spotted for the very first time on Indian roads (Hosur Road, near Bangalore). Being in its early phase of development, the vehicle wore heavy camouflage. The absence of an exhaust tip and the silent propulsion were the main hints that said it was no regular XUV300. In fact, the owner of the images claims that the car was repeatedly accelerating and braking when the traffic was clear. This may have been a testing procedure for the regenerative braking system.
Despite being a prototype, the design was much more convincing than the flashy-looking concept that was showcased at Auto Expo 2020. Needless to say, it looks almost identical to its regular ICE sibling, but the rear bumper matches that of the concept EV. The final version of the Mahindra eXUV300 could sport some cosmetic tweaks to make it stand apart from the regular model — like the blue accents on the electric version of the Tata Nexon.
Mahindra XUV300 Drive Range and Price Exp.
The Mahindra eXUV300 is based on the brand’s new MESMA 350 platform. Expanding to Mahindra Electric Scalable and Modular Architecture, MESMA 350 employs a 350V powertrain that can support motors with capacities ranging from 60kW to 280kW. The battery capacity can be as high as 80kWh. The platform has been developed entirely in-house and can employ a dual-motor setup as well.
Of course, the Mahindra XUV300 Electric will sport the lighter side of MESMA 350 to become a strong rival to the Tata Nexon EV, which has a starting price of Rs 13.99 lakh ex-showroom. The Nexon EV is powered by a 95kW motor coupled to a 30.2kWh battery pack. Put together, the electric compact-SUV makes 129bhp and 245Nm of torque. It boasts of an ARAI-certified range of 312km.
Mahesh Babu, CEO of Mahindra Electric, had confirmed that the eXUV300 will be able to return a range of more than 370km. This puts itself a step above the Nexon EV and if Mahindra prices it right, we may have a tough choice choosing between either electric SUV. In the days to come, we will be able to spot more eXUV300 test mules and thereby get to know more information.
