India’s Mahindra To Launch Six New SUVs By The End Of 2021

Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra is concentrating on its Utility Vehicle portfolio. That’s no surprise since we all know that Mahindra is a SUV-making factory, rolling out those vehicles left and right, even if not all of them are worth the name. And it makes all the more sense considering the recent high-riding trend that’s taken the markets by storm. And riding that storm, Mahindra plans to launch six new SUVs by the end of the coming year.

Mahindra is all set to revive its market share in the SUV space, which has dipped to about 15.27 per cent, from about 28 per cent at the start of FY2018 and 21.57 per cent a year ago. M&M currently places third in the UV market share stakes, behind Maruti Suzuki (22.88 per cent) and Hyundai Motor India (22.29 per cent), and there’s also the fast gaining Kia Motors India that has achieved a 14 per cent UV market share in a mere 14 months.

Mahindra plans to introduce the next-gen Mahindra XUV500 by March 2021, while the next-gen Scorpio is likely to be launched in the second quarter of 2021.

Mahindra also plans to launch its first EV in 2021, the eKUV100. The all-electric hatchback, which made its debut at the Auto Expo 2020, is powered by a 40kW (54.4hp) electric motor and has a claimed range of 150km.

Thew Mahindra eXUV300 will be the second EV from the automaker coming in 2021, built on the Mahindra Electric Scalable and Modular Architecture (MESMA) platform, which will also underpin future Mahindra EVs. The high-riding EV is expected to be powered by a 350V powertrain, though a more powerful 380V version could join the line-up later.

Mahindra will reportedly offer two battery packs on the eXUV300. The more affordable version with the smaller battery pack will allow Mahindra to price the eXUV300 on par with the Tata Nexon EV, while the longer-range model could rival the Hyundai Kona Electric and MG ZS EV. A third battery pack option is also being developed, with an even longer range to highlight the potential of its electric vehicle. The electric compact SUV is the first product with battery cells developed exclusively for India applications by LG Chem of Korea. You can expect the Mahindra eXUV300 reach the showrooms sometime in the second half of 2021.

On the ICE side, The BS6 versions of the Mahindra TUV300 and TUV300 Plus are also expected to arrive in the coming months. Both models are expected to feature some design updates on the outside and some changes in the interior, along with an obvious engine upgrade to meet the emission norms.