[RavenAvi]

The country's largest homegrown SUV maker, Mahindra & Mahindra, has reportedly started working on what is being touted as "the most affordable electric SUV in the world" through it's Mahindra Electric unit.

Codenamed "S107", this compact SUV will combine Mahindra's expertise in SUVs with Reva's electric prowess. The S107 will have an all-electric powertrain and will be the company's next major project after the Verito electric version.

Group chairman Anand Mahindra had told shareholders at the 70th annual general meeting this month that electric cars are a key element in the future of mobility and a compact electric SUV will address the needs of those who prioritise driving experience over everything else.

Mahindra is also considering bringing out electric and CNG versions of it's now-popular KUV100 compact SUV, but no plans have been finalised on this front yet.

Mahindra & Mahindra's Chief Executive for Automotive, Pravin Shah:

"We are looking at adding more SUVs as well as small commercial vehicle to our electric vehicle portfolio. The focus will be on offering more affordable electric vehicles for higher accessibility. Mahindra Reva will continue to address the range anxiety with continuous development."

ET

[Screwdriva]

Truly visionary and admirable goal. But Chetan Maini @ Reva proved that India's future as an electric vehicle manufacturer lies in the export market with the G-Wiz.

[sourav.info111]

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[BlueEyes]

Extremely ambitious but step at the right direction. If any manufacturer who can attempt something like this in our country it has to be M&M. Over the years our family has owned several Mahindra SUVs(and tractors) including the latest XUV. Though there products still struggle to match fit and finish of other cars on sale in India and QA still has long long way to go I have been long admirer of M&M/chairman Anand Mahindra.

But I have problem with 'world's most affordable' title. Why target something like this and compromise on some aspects in the end product? Or may be it's just me, perhaps Tata's Nano is still fresh in my mind. Nonetheless exciting times ahead and wishing all the luck to M&M

[humyum]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

The country's largest homegrown SUV maker, Mahindra & Mahindra, has reportedly started working on what is being touted as "the most affordable electric SUV in the world" through it's Mahindra Electric unit.

Totally wasteful project. In India there is no market for such SUV's and Mahindra has no name anywhere else for it to even sell and when it comes to western countries, people won't even touch such products when competition is likes of Tesla, Nissan etc.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Codenamed "S107", this compact SUV will combine Mahindra's expertise in SUVs with Reva's electric prowess. The S107 will have an all-electric powertrain and will be the company's next major project after the Verito electric version.

Reva has no electric prowess. They make shoddy cars, look at the amount of people selling their Reva's in the first and second year of ownership. Verito Electric was as big a failed project. For God's sake, Mahindra should stick to what it's ok at doing, I won't even use the term best as they are not best at anything.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Group chairman Anand Mahindra had told shareholders at the 70th annual general meeting this month that electric cars are a key element in the future of mobility and a compact electric SUV will address the needs of those who prioritise driving experience over everything else.

Sure

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Mahindra is also considering bringing out electric and CNG versions of it's now-popular KUV100 compact SUV, but no plans have been finalised on this front yet.

Mahindra & Mahindra's Chief Executive for Automotive, Pravin Shah:

Electric version of KUV

[GTO]

100 bucks says this is an electric version of the KUV100. Reasons:

1. It's the lightest Mahindra 'SUV', being a monocoque. Mahindra's body-on-frame UVs are too heavy to be efficient with an electric powertrain.

2. It's the cheapest. If Mahindra says affordable, it has to start with the cheapest. That said, I hope our & Mahindra's definition of affordable doesn't differ. The price difference between the top-end Logan diesel and electric is 3 lakhs ! And that's after tax benefits in Delhi.

Originally Posted by humyum

Totally wasteful project. In India there is no market for such SUV's and Mahindra has no name anywhere else for it to even sell and when it comes to western countries, people won't even touch such products when competition is likes of Tesla, Nissan etc.

A big company has to experiment. It has to take risk. It has to be prepared for the future. If companies didn't, we wouldn't have AMTs (Maruti), compact sedans (Tata), premium hatchbacks (Hyundai) or a 20 lakh premium Mahindra (XUV500) in India.

I feel the only limiting factor is the range of batteries today, but it is improving every year. If there is a game-changing technological development in the battery world, Mahindra wouldn't want to be left behind.

[Bh.P]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Group chairman Anand Mahindra had told shareholders at the 70th annual general meeting this month that electric cars are a key element in the future of mobility and a compact electric SUV will address the needs of those who prioritise driving experience over everything else.

I don't think this will remain true for too long. Cars cannot remain the key element in the future of mobility in our country. We simply do not have the space to accommodate cars for every one.

In not too distant future,I think we will reach a point where people will start loathing cars and opt for other modes, however bad they are, since they would probably be still better than driving cars.

Other than that, it is good to see Mahindra still invest in electric technology, assuming cars will continue to be aspirational in future. But they have a poor track record in this area with E2O and e-Verito.

[Screwdriva]

Originally Posted by GTO

It's the lightest Mahindra 'SUV', being a monocoque. Mahindra's body-on-frame UVs are too heavy to be efficient with an electric powertrain. .

I remember reading several studies on EVs that demonstrated that poor aerodynamics were far more detrimental to an EVs range than additional weight was. In either case, Mahindra scores poorly.

Originally Posted by GTO

I feel the only limiting factor is the range of batteries today, but it is improving every year. If there is a game-changing technological development in the battery world, Mahindra wouldn't want to be left behind.

For IN, I would add to this comment and state that Li-on batteries are not as stable or reliable as their NI-MH or Lead Acid counterparts. As such, they are not as well suited to the harshness of India's conditions - examples include flooding, insects, corrosion, extreme heat etc.

I would also add that IN lacks a charging infrastructure capable of supporting mass adoption of EVs. If there was ever an administration capable of supporting this however, it would be PM Modi's.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by humyum

Totally wasteful project......

Do I sense a certain bitterness & cynicism here? Granted humyum, that M&M have stumbled here & there but against the odds they have come up with products like the Scorpio, Bolero, Thar & the XUV. Their engineering prowess may be gauged by the successful downsizing of the 4 to 3-cyl 1.5 L diesel (with twin scroll pressure charging) doing duty as the Quanto/TUV/Nuvosport driver. It has won kudos for its smoothness & fine NVH levels. Certainly they are known for their uneven quality niggles but then who isn't? Even the mighty Germans (& even the king of the hill Rolls-Bentley) bit the dust for years before the Japanese, where reliability issues were concerned.

M&M's ability to assimilate & digest new technology & processes need not be underestimated. Nor their nimbleness in responding to rapidly changing scenarios. Nor their keenness to listen to customer feedback. I remain a swadeshi at heart and it warms the cockles to see the mess VW has gotten into - and getting deeper by the minute. So, for my money, there are no icons left to put on a pedestal! And M&M are as good -or as bad - as any of the others

[humyum]

Originally Posted by GTO

A big company has to experiment. It has to take risk. It has to be prepared for the future. If companies didn't, we wouldn't have AMTs (Maruti), compact sedans (Tata), premium hatchbacks (Hyundai) or a 20 lakh premium Mahindra (XUV500) in India.

I feel the only limiting factor is the range of batteries today, but it is improving every year. If there is a game-changing technological development in the battery world, Mahindra wouldn't want to be left behind.

A big company first has to get its core products/prowess in place, Am I right? Would you ask anyone to buy a Mahindra product in the first week of its launch? I guess that answer will address the point I am trying to make.

AMT's was a 20 thousand rupees extra bet over a standard car, we can't compare that to a 15 lakh one which changes the entire dynamics of how you live/drive/travel.

Originally Posted by shashanka

Do I sense a certain bitterness & cynicism here? Granted humyum, that M&M have stumbled here & there but against the odds they have come up with products like the Scorpio, Bolero, Thar & the XUV. Their engineering prowess may be gauged by the successful downsizing of the 4 to 3-cyl 1.5 L diesel (with twin scroll pressure charging) doing duty as the Quanto/TUV/Nuvosport driver. It has won kudos for its smoothness & fine NVH levels. Certainly they are known for their uneven quality niggles but then who isn't? Even the mighty Germans (& even the king of the hill Rolls-Bentley) bit the dust for years before the Japanese, where reliability issues were concerned.

M&M's ability to assimilate & digest new technology & processes need not be underestimated. Nor their nimbleness in responding to rapidly changing scenarios. Nor their keenness to listen to customer feedback. I remain a swadeshi at heart and it warms the cockles to see the mess VW has gotten into - and getting deeper by the minute. So, for my money, there are no icons left to put on a pedestal! And M&M are as good -or as bad - as any of the others

Sorry, are you calling that prowess that someone in Mahindra realised how a twin scroll turbocharger worked and plonked it in a Quanto/Nuvosport/TUV? I have two Quantos in my office and 1 among a friend, I would not call it good from a million miles. All three have clutch issues where in they become super hard after every some thousands of kilometers with Mahindra asking them to change them again and again at their cost with no solution in sight.

Have we forgotten about the TUV AMT's having constant jerk issues? Or the electronics being dodgy for quite sometime in the earlier XUV's?

Uneven quality niggles? You don't need to go too far to know amongst manufacturers selling niggle free products in India, namely Toyota, Maruti and even Hyundai for that matter who get it right the first time and don't Guinean Pig the customers.

In the July 2016 sales figures, in the top 20, there are no Mahindra cars present, in the June one's, Bolero was in the 19th place.

Credit where it's due, I would call the Scorpio as a revolutionary product for its time, even the XUV (with its fair share of niggles in the initial years) but sorry, I won't let deshbhakti make a judgement about what a good product or company is and what is not.

I am not against Mahindra, but don't think it's worth a shower of praises too IMO

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by humyum

Totally wasteful project

When Mahindra announced the Bolero after the Armada, people said the "facelifted Armada" will be a flop. It turned out to be the best selling UV till date.

When Mahindra announced the Scorpio, people said the "glorified Bolero" will be crude and a disaster. Even after 13 years, it is selling like hot cakes.

When Mahindra announced a premium vehicle (XUV), people said that nobody will buy it over the Innova. We all know the result.

Of course, Mahindra is not perfect. Like every other manufacturer, it has it's not-so-cool moments with respect to the design of it's products, the fit and finish and even the niggling issues.

But, these companies learn a lot with their constant R&D. Mahindra is improving their abilities and competence with regards to electric vehicles. They need to forecast the future and be prepared for it. Their recent spend on the development of turbo petrol engines show that this is an Indian company which is here to stay....

[gopi_rm]

May be with their reasonable experience in Formula E, M&M is trying to experiment their learnings early to lead the E-Car market after a decade. I have read that M&M applied for the battery supply tender for 2018 Formula-E season along with experienced giants like sony, panasonic, williams, etc.

[govigov]

They already have immense R&D already in place because of their formula e venture.

http://mahindra.fiaformulae.com/
http://www.mahindraracing.com/e4wheelerracing/

Additionally, they are already in the 'e' market in USA with their scooter,

http://www.genze.com/

I think this company has a good vision in their long term goals.

[Karthik Chandra]

Guys, the thread is about Mahindra developing an affordable electric SUV and not on Mahindra's reliability or market acceptance.

Could we not go and keep the discussion in line with the title of the thread

Mod Note: Completely agree. Off-topic posts have been deleted. Please focus on the thread topic.

[giri]

When it comes to developing electric vehicles, Chinese companies have beaten Indian ones hollow. Look at the number of e-rickshaws, e-bicycles and electric scooters. They are cheap and cheerful--and get the job done. Our much vaunted jugaad is nowhere to been seen in this space.

In the car domain, Mahindra would do well to emulate Tesla--which came into the industry with a clean slate--and built a production electric car that's better than anything the car majors have been able to do, in half the time. Undoubtedly, Tesla had lots of teething problems, but they have plugged away at them, and solved them. It is astonishing to note that Tesla has got almost 400,000 bookings for its Model 3--in a country that has no dearth of good vehicles.