Mahindra’s next EV for the Indian market has been
spotted testing on public roads for the first time. The Mahindra KUV100
electric is one of the two new electric vehicles the company will launch by
2019. It will be arriving sometime next year.
At first glance, it may appear to be a regular
KUV100 since, visually, the test unit is identical to the 2017 Mahindra KUV100
NXT. However, the absence of an exhaust pipe and the lack of any form of engine
noise gave it away. The exterior is finished in Fiery Orange with a Midnight
Black rear bumper and an unpainted rear hatch. The left rear window is covered
up and has some black piping running to the bottom.
Mahindra & Mahindra is planning to invest around
INR 4,000 crore in EVs over the next 3-5 years. By 2019, the company aims to
add two new electric cars to its lineup. The first one will be the electric
variant of the KUV100. The other EV may also be an existing product equipped
with an electric powertrain. However, it will be a monocoque-based vehicle as
Pawan Goenka has ruled out the possibility of ladder-on-frame products going
electric.
A report from earlier this year hints at the
possible introduction of the Mahindra XUV Aero as an EV. The SUV-coupe was
showcased as a concept at the 2016 Auto Expo and the company has hinted, time
and again, that the XUV Aero could enter production. A report from June claims
that the project has already been greenlit.