MThe Ahindra Research Valley (MRV), located on the southern outskirts of Chennai, is a grim place, as the name suggests. Engineers spend days and months here to develop the next generation of cars and commercial vehicles. And the company is quite proud of this place. Like the XUV700 a year ago, this year, Mahindra called on the greats and good of the automotive journalism world and others like me to showcase their latest creation. But this is electric, the XUV400.
A month or two ago, Mahindra showcased their next-generation large electric SUV concepts in Oxfordshire, which they are developing in the United Kingdom. This car has nothing to do with them, it is a vehicle that is making a clear electric play for the most lucrative segment of the Indian automotive market, the ‘C-segment’ SUVs where the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos dominate And print the profits their producers. But despite the fact that 33,000 units are sold every month in this segment, only 250 of these are electric – the Hyundai Kona and the MG ZS. With both these vehicles mainly kits imported and put together in India and not being pushed by their manufacturers, the segment is crying out for a viable electric competitor.
Mahindra believes that with the XUV400, they have the answer that buyers in this segment have been looking for.
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competition
Now when you look at the car, it looks familiar as it is based on the design and platform of the XUV300. The XUV300 itself was designed around the Ssangyong Tivoli platform, which was one of the few positive aspects of the unfortunate acquisition of the Korean carmaker by Mahindra in 2010. But while the XUV300 was dropped by 20 cm to fall inside the competitive ‘B-segment’ where cars under four meters pay less excise duty, the XUV400 retains the 4200 mm length of the donor vehicle (Tivoli) . Though it remains small in comparison to other vehicles in the segment when compared to the likes of Skoda Kushak. But Mahindra also expects the XUV400 to take on India’s most successful electric vehicle, the Tata Nexon EV, which sits a segment lower.
However, it’s not all about the size. Mahindra officials believe that it is all about shifting to electric and the XUV400 will lead the charge. Here are the key stats for the XUV400: a 39.8 kilowatt-hour capacity lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged up to 80 percent in 50 minutes with a 50kW direct current (DC) fast charger. And on full charge, as tested by ARAI, the car will be good for a range of 456 km, though it does not include the global WLTP range testing process. WLTP is a standard that automakers use and it also works thanks to global variations in fuel economy for road conditions and traffic. While ARAI figures may be flatter, a real-world range of around 250-300 km can be expected. And this is enough for a week of commuting.
Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, Auto and Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra told me that the most likely to initially adopt the XUV400 is in multi-car households. “The fact is that people who make long drives over the holidays will have an alternative vehicle at home or with a close friend or family member.” Mahindra may have just showcased the car, but it will announce the price only in January and deliveries will start at the end of that month. However, the vehicles will be sent to dealers early next month for the company to get feedback. “We want to know what customers think about the design, features and performance. And what they think the car should be worth.”
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And what about performance?
A few short and sweet drives around the test area of the MRV exposed some of the better aspects of the car. It accelerates very quickly, Mahindra claims 0-100 kmph of 8.6 seconds, which is the fastest car ever. But other than that, it also handles turns very well, as most electric vehicles do thanks to the low weight of the battery pack. In ‘Fearless’ mode, the most exciting drive setting offered on the XUV400, the car looks good, despite the fact that it is a re-engineered internal combustion engine car. Most impressively, the XUV400 is very quiet even by electric car standards.
But there are some things which are a bit shocking. To be honest, the XUV300 was not the best looking car ever and despite the new copper ‘Twin Peaks’ logo that will adorn Mahindra’s electric and other copper colored details of the car, the design looks a bit dated, too. Similar to XUV300. The cars we drove were early production models and by the time customer cars start rolling off the line, things can change, especially on the inside. The infotainment software package in the vehicle I drove was not flashed in the latest models and the screen was smaller than what other car manufacturers offer today. The seats had ample side and lumbar support and felt comfortable, and the added length of the vehicle compared to the XUV300 resulted in better rear legroom and luggage space as well.
But I thought the XUV400 needed a little more work. With four months to add the finishing touches, Mahindra is wisely taking its time before the final product hits the Indian roads.
One of the motives behind such early unveilings is to keep buyers waiting. Also, with Auto Expo 2023 scheduled for January, Mahindra is putting its cards on the table before showcasing the inevitable electric concept cars at that event, some quite close to production. Will gambling pay off? Well, the car is almost ready to go, and if the finishing work is done well and the vehicle is priced attractively, the XUV400 can achieve its objective.
@kushanmitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Anurag Choubey)