Mahindra & Mahindra is on a roll as it became the second most successful automobile manufacturer in April. The SUV maker got a sales boost from its born-electric duo — the BE 6 and XEV 9e, for which the company announced a delivery of 6,300 units. What’s interesting to note is that 75% of the bookings were the top trims of the two EVs, the Pack Three model. With range anxiety still something that plays up on an EV buyer’s mind, this is the reason why Mahindra is selling the bigger 79 kWh battery version. As much as this is a good problem for the company, the company is open to the possibility of offering the 79 kWh battery to the lower variants of the BE 6e and the XEV 9Ee.
Long-range EVs are the key to success
At the quarterly earnings call speaking to Autocar Professional, Executive Director and CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Rajesh Jejurikar acknowledged that with 75% EV buyers opting for the 79 kWh battery version, the company may rethink its strategy and offer the big battery in the lower trims. If they decide to implement this, Mahindra’s decision could be a game-changer, significantly impacting EV segment leaders Tata Motors, JSW MG Motor, and Hyundai.
Based on the customer feedback, Jejurikar explained that the primary objective is to have a long-range EV, while features are negligible and can be overlooked. To cater to such customers and to increase the volumes of the two EVs, Mahindra may look at offering the 79 kWh battery in the Pack One and Pack Two variants. Speaking to Autocar Professional, Jejurikar said, “To start growing volumes, we will need to have a reasonable mix in Pack One and Pack Two. We will saturate at a price point where it will be difficult to sustain high volumes. We will have to start getting at least 25-30% of our volumes from Pack 2 and Pack 1.”
