India is coming for the Chinese electric car crown as Mahindra unveils EV roadmap

If you thought inexpensive electric cars were exclusively the purview of China, Mahindra wants to you think again as it lays out its commitment for no less than four new EVs that could take the fight right to the BYD Dolphin, MG4 and GWM Ora.

However, keep in mind that not all these models are expected to arrive in Australia, but what will land in local showrooms will surely be at the budget end of the electric vehicle (EV) spectrum, given Mahindra's market positioning of the Scorpio and XUV700.

As part of the Futurescape event in Cape Town and reported by Autocar India, Mahindra revealed it has plans for not only an electric Thar (as seen with the Thar.e concept), but also the Bolero and Scorpio SUVs.

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While it doesn't appear that the Mercedes-Benz G-Class-like Bolero Classic and smaller Suzuki Jimny-esque Bolero Neo are on the radar for Australia, the Scorpio launched just a few months ago in Australia solely with a turbo-diesel engine.

Mahindra's Australian operations could easily bulk out the Scorpio line-up with an all-electric version, which would beat tailpipe emissions-free versions of (larger) rivals like the Toyota Prado, Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

However, as previously reported with the Thar.e, the Scorpio EV will forgo its ladder-frame chassis underpinnings for Mahindra's INGLO modular platform.

The brand's XUV line-up will also be electrified with the XUV.e8 and XUV.e9 – the former XUV700 sized, while the latter a coupe version of the mid-sized SUV.

Again, with the XUV700 having launched earlier this year in Australia, an electric version would mean Mahindra could field a competitor against the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra.

Beyond that, a BE.05 and BE.07 are also planned, which will be large, luxury-focused SUVs.

These models will join the XUV400 small SUV in Mahindra's EV portfolio.

Mahindra revealed it has plans for not only an electric Thar (as seen with the Thar.e concept), but also the Bolero and Scorpio SUVs.

In terms of timing, the XUV700-sized XUV.e8 will arrive first with a December 2024 release window, followed by the XUV.e9 in April 2025.

Following on will be the BE.05 in October 2025, while the BE.07 is planned for April 2026.

When the electric versions of the Thar, Scorpio and Bolero will hit markets is currently unclear.

However, with an accelerated plan for EVs on the table, Mahindra will turn to BYD for battery technology and Valeo for its electric motors, before also partnering with Volkswagen.

The Valeo electric motor will be rear mounted, meaning the XUV.e8 and XUV.e9 will be rear-driven, and services up 170kW/380Nm, which compares to the front-drive-only XUV700's 149kW/380Nm output from a 2.0-litre petrol engine.

The upmarket BE.07 and BE.08 meanwhile, will feature a Volkswagen-sourced rear electric motor capable of 210kW/535Nm, while all-wheel-drive variants will also score a front motor good for 80kW/135Nm.

Mahindra is yet to detail exact battery specifications for each of its planned EVs, but a capacity of up to 79kWh and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) composition has surfaced online.