Style and substance: All-new Mahinda BE 6e and XEV 9e are proof the Indian car-maker is serious about EVs

The 2025 Mahindra BE 6e and 2025 Mahindra XEV 9e have been unwrapped giving us our first look at the stylish all-electric coupe-SUVs that have been tasked with taking on the Tesla Model Y and its many rivals in an overcrowded medium SUV segment.

Ensuring it makes an impression, the new Mahindra BE 6e and the XEV 9e (pictured top) get show car looks, with the smaller of the two featuring an aggressive, and sporty look that’s echoed in the less striking, larger XEV 9e that’s been designed to offer more space.

Introducing Mahindra’s all-new INGLO architecture that’s been created to underpin the brand’s new family of EVs and borrows hardware from the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, the SUV-coupes are rear-wheel drive and get a sophisticated five-link rear suspension, plus advanced brake-by-wire tech.

READ MORE: Indian giver! VW to supply tech as Mahindra plans electric vehicle attack
READ MORE: India’s Mahindra plans Australian electric vehicle assault with batteries from China’s BYD

Since the BE 6e and XEV 9e share an identical platform it’s no surprise that they have the same 2775mm wheelbase.

The XEV 9e is around 419mm longer than its sibling, measuring in at 4790mm long, 1905mm wide and standing 1690mm tall.

At those dimensions the bigger of the two Mahindra SUVs is only 39mm longer than its chief rival, the Tesla Model Y.

Think of the smaller BE 6e, meanwhile, as more of a rival to the MG ZS EV, Kia Niro, or BYD Atto 3.

It’s the smaller of the two that features the most dramatic exterior styling. Nor were designers  tempted to play it safe with a cabin that’s claimed to be inspired by a jetfighter.

Incorporating dual 12.3-inch screens and an augmented reality head-up display, the BE 6e doesn’t skimp on tech, while a Tron-inspired ambient lighting and pair of ‘gaming-style’ armchairs ensures it makes its mark in a crowded segment.

Boot space is around 455 litres, with an additional 45 litres up front.

Designers weren’t quite so brave within the XEV 9e cabin but the bigger mid-sizer sports three 12.3-inch screens that stretch almost across the entire width of the car.

Novel features include an illuminated panoramic roof, 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a much-larger 665 litre rear boot that is supplemented by a big 150 litre frunk.

The Indian car-maker says that both coupe-SUVs have Mahindra’s Artificial Intelligence Architecture embedded within them. It uses a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip for faster processing.

Safety kit includes seven airbags, a level 2 driver cruise control, 360-degree camera, blind-spot detection and remote auto-parking.

From the launch the single-motor versions of the BE 6e and XEV 9e get two outputs – 170kW or 210KW – with the more powerful of the two returning a brisk 0-100km/h dash of around 6.7 seconds for the BE 6e and 6.8 seconds for the larger XEV.

Two lithium iron phosphate chemistry batteries are available with both sourced from Volkswagen. While a 59kWh power pack will power cheaper models, a large 79kWh battery provides for a WLTP range of around 533km for the XEV and around 550km for the smaller BE 6e.

Charging is at a rate of up to 175kW with a 20-80 per cent top-up taking less than 20 minutes.

The icing on the cake for the Mahindra BE 6e and bigger Mahindra XEV 9e is the car-maker’s most capable EVs yet should come with cut-throat pricing.

In India the BE 6e is priced from Rs 18.90 Lakh ($34,500), while XEV 9e starts at Rs 21.90 Lakh ($40,000).

Previously, Mahindra has announced its intention to bring its next-generation family of EVs to Australia but has not provided a timeline for when the Mahindra BE 6e and larger Mahindra XEV 9e will land.

“Mahindra plans a phased, calibrated international rollout of the Electric Origin series, starting with right-hand drive (RHD) markets. We will make announcements of launch at the appropriate time,” the company said in a statement.