The exterior design of the forthcoming Mahindra XUV.e8 electric SUV has been leaked in a patent image, showing it doesn’t stray too far from its combustion-powered XUV700 counterpart.
This leaked XUV.e8 patent image that’s been published across Indian media shows it retains the XUV700’s upright silhouette, body creases and retractable door handles.
It also looks similar to the concept revealed last year alongside four other electric SUVs from the new Mahindra XUV.e and BE sub-brands.
The most notable change is the redesigned front fascia that doesn’t have a traditional grille, a common design cue among electric vehicles (EVs) where there isn’t as much of a need for cooling up front.
XUV700
A highlight of the XUV.e8’s front fascia is the LED light bar that not only spans the entire width of the car but also wraps around the headlights. There’s also an aerodynamic-looking wheel design.
The image also depicts copper highlights, a defining feature on the smaller XUV400, an electric version of the XUV300 (itself a rebadged SsangYong Tivoli).
Despite looking like the XUV700, Mahindra has confirmed the XUV.e8 will be based on a modular electric platform called Inglo.
All five of the upcoming Mahindra XUV.e and BE electric SUVs will use motors, battery system components and battery cells used in vehicles on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture, which underpins models like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Cupra Born.
Mahindra BE and XUV.e concepts
They will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with either blade or prismatic cell architectures and capacity of between 60-80kWh. The platform supports 175kW DC fast-charging and vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality.
Inglo-based models will offer either 170kW-210kW rear-wheel drive or 250kW-290kW all-wheel drive powertrains, with the latter offering 0-100km/h times of between five and six seconds.
No claimed range figures have been quoted to date.
The five upcoming Mahindra electric SUVs will be produced at a new electric vehicle (EV) plant in Chakan, India alongside the existing production facility for internal combustion-powered vehicles. Mahindra has invested $3 million in this EV plant and construction is underway.
The Mahindra XUV.e8 is the first of the five upcoming electric SUVs, and is set to go on sale in India by the end of 2024.
Mahindra Australia marketing manager James Halliwell told CarExpert in April this year the company “will evaluate some of those models for this market” and will likely launch an electric vehicle (EV) here around 2025 or 2026.
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