Mahindra Flexes Its SUV Muscle AT Bharat Mobility Global Expo
- By Bhushan Mhapralkar
- February 09, 2024
The display of flagship XUV700 SUV, the three-door Thar and the XUV 300 at the Bharat Mobility Expo may not be as exciting as the ‘BE.RALL-E’ concept SUV painted in a shade of bright lemon-yellow and arranged at the centre of the stall. It is a true-blue off-road vehicle concept built on the INGLO architecture and electric in nature. It builds on Mahindra eSUVs’ core philosophy of ‘infinite possibilities’ with a compelling and exciting concept.
The rugged interior and exterior of the ‘BE.RALL-E’ concept may seem like it has drawn inspiration from those Land Rover SUVs which participated in the Camel Rally, the fact is, Mahindra & Mahindra has some wild and highly exciting SUV up the sleeve – both on the ICE side and the BEV side.
It was not long ago that the automaker unveiled the Vision Thar.e Concept, Global Pik-Up Truck in Cape Town, South Africa. The Vision Thar.e Concept brought to the fore the automaker’s recently engineered subsidiary, Mahindra Electric Automobiles Limited (MEAL) besides highlighting a powerful and distinctive new visual identity for it with such a concept.
Under the ‘Born Electric Vehicles’ nomenclature, the automaker leveraged the INGLO architecture to build the Vision Thar.e. The ‘BE.RALL-E’ concept also uses the same architecture.
While claiming that the INGLO architecture is being honed to engineer some very interesting BEV vehicles in the future, it is the body-on-frame Global Pik Up truck – claimed to be based on the Scorpio N platform – that points at how Mahindra & Mahindra is leaving no stone unturned to further strengthen its position in the Indian SUV segments. The Mumbai-based automaker is also pushing for a larger pie of SUVs and pick-up trucks in markets like South Africa and Australia among others.
In India, the company is expected to launch the XUV 300 facelift, an electric large SUV based on the XUV 700 and the five-door Thar. What the three vehicles, when introduced, may not fully reflect is the changes the automaker is carrying out at its research valley on the outskirts of Chennai.
It has been investing into some fancy labs, product development tools, and test and validation equipment. It is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to ensure that there is a made-in-India vehicle running across most of the markets globally. Coming from a market that is currently being dominated by Japanese and Korean automakers, the rise of a homegrown automaker like Mahindra & Mahindra to the global stage – the Chinese automakers are just doing that with their EVs particularly – will be an expression of a country’s technological, manufacturing, design and entrepreneurial strength.
The technology transition and transformation could provide homegrown automakers like Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors just the right opportunity to expand their presence to the global stage, aided albeit by the regulatory push in terms of safety and emissions. The BS VII emission regulation draft is ready as per the sources aware of the development. Its date of announcement could be as early as 2026 or 2027!
Maruti Suzuki e Vitara Gets 5-Star Bharat NCAP Safety Rating
- By MT Bureau
- December 02, 2025
Maruti Suzuki India has been awarded a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating for its e Vitara, marking a moment for the company's electric vehicle strategy.
The e Vitara is built on Suzuki’s Heartect-e platform designed for electric vehicles to deliver strength, structural rigidity and advanced high voltage protection. The ‘Made-in-India, Made-for-the-World’ e Vitara is designed and tested for temperature conditions across the world, ensuring performance from as high as 60deg Celsius to as low as -30deg Celsius. The model is offered with 49 kWh and 61 kWh battery options.
Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said, “Congratulations to Maruti Suzuki for achieving 5-star Bharat NCAP in both adult and child occupant protection for their e Vitara. I am especially glad that Maruti Suzuki has shown real leadership in providing 7 airbags as a standard across all variants of the e Vitara.”
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for e Vitara, our first Battery Electric Vehicle, is a moment of immense pride for all of us at Maruti Suzuki. Using the Bharat NCAP 5-star rating, we will export the e Vitara to more than 100 countries of the world. Bharat NCAP’s globally benchmarked stringent vehicle test protocols have been a catalyst in empowering customers to make informed decisions. I thank the Minister Gadkari, the officials in his Ministry and test agencies for their rigorous efforts and commitment in shaping India’s journey towards safe mobility.”
The e VITARA’s body structure uses more than 60 percent ultra-high tensile and high-tensile strength steel. Its battery protection system incorporates a structural design with an energy-absorbing battery pack mounting structure.
Key safety features include 7 standard airbags (including the Driver's knee airbag), Level 2 ADAS (Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control), Hill Hold Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and a 360-degree Surround View Camera.
Mahindra Launches First Dealership-Based Ultrafast EV Charger In Anantapur
- By MT Bureau
- December 02, 2025
Mahindra has marked a major milestone in its nationwide electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure expansion with the inauguration of its first dealership-based ultrafast charger – a 180 kW Charge_IN station.
This is the first of many such installations planned across Mahindra dealerships, forming a key pillar of the company’s commitment to building India’s ultrafast charging network.
This initiative scales up Mahindra’s Charge_IN ecosystem, complementing the 250 highway fast-charging stations already announced. The new 180 kW ultrafast chargers will enable EV users to charge quickly and conveniently at strategically located dealerships across the country, with 24x7 on-ground support.
Hyundai Motor India Wholesales Grow 9.1% In November
- By MT Bureau
- December 01, 2025
Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported wholesales of 66,840 units in November 2025, up 9.1 percent YoY as against 61,252 units last year.
This includes domestic sales of 50,340 units, up 4 percent YoY and exports of 16,500 units, up 27 percent YoY.
Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director & Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “Supported by GST 2.0 reforms, we continue to carry forward sales momentum with a year-on-year growth in our monthly domestic sales in November 2025. Further, our commitment to bolstering India’s role as a global manufacturing hub is further solidified with 26.9% year-on-year growth in monthly exports.”
He further added that the all-new Hyundai Venue SUV, the company's first software-defined vehicle in India, has received more than 32,000 bookings within a month of its launch. The new Venue features ccNC infotainment powered by Nvidia.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Reports 28% Sales Growth In November
- By MT Bureau
- December 01, 2025
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has announced its wholesales for November 2025, reporting total sales of 33,752 units, up 28 percent YoY.
This includes 30,085 units sold in the domestic market and 3,667 units exported.
Varinder Wadhwa, Vice-President, Sales–Service–Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Following a positive festive season supported by the government’s progressive GST reforms, we continue to witness a strong momentum, with a growth of 19 percent. The recent introduction of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder Aero Edition and Fortuner Leader Edition has also continued to help us reinforce this growth trajectory, receiving recognition across the country. The innovative initiatives such as the Drum Tao and the launch of the toyota experiential museum (tem) in Bangalore, have been highly appreciated, further strengthening customer engagement and brand connect.”

Comments (0)
ADD COMMENT