Mahindra & Mahindra has been a pioneer in the Indian car market when it comes to SUVs of all shapes and sizes. All the recent cars launched by the brand have seen immense success and these include the XUV 700, Scorpio-N and the new-generation Thar. Now the homegrown automaker has decided to tap the lucrative and fast-growing electric segment in India by introducing the XUV 400.
Design
The XUV 400 is based on the XUV 300 and therefore looks largely similar to the compact SUV. It is the first Mahindra vehicle to bear the copper twin peak logo. The styling is tweaked a bit when compared to the XUV 300, and use of satin copper arrowhead inserts on the aero fascia as well as in the LED tail-lamps gives the car a distinct look. You also get projector headlamps, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and auto headlamps on the car.In all there are 5 colour options – Arctic Blue, Everest White, Galaxy Grey, Napoli Black and Infinity Blue with dual tone option of Satin Copper.
Interior
The 17.78 cm infotainment system is equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while the BlueSense PlusApp offers 60-plus mobile app based connected features, including accessibility to nearby charging points. It features leatherette seats with blue stitching, and leather steering with audio controls.And yes just like its ICED counterpart this one too gets a sunroof. The car has a wheelbase of 2600 mm and has grown in length when compared to its petrol sibling. Despite the batteries occupying good real estate, it gets a boot space of 378 litres.
Battery: The XUV400 has come with 2 battery pack options. The higher trim gets a 39.4 kWh pack that makes 150PSand 310 Nm which powers the car from 0 to 100 kmph in 8.3 seconds, making it the eSUV with fastest acceleration in its segment.It reaches a top speed of 150 kmph. The other battery pack 34.5 kWh lithium-ion unit and numbers here are a little more conservative. You get a range of 456 kms and 375 kms respectively, as per Indian driving cycle standards (MIDC). The XUV400 also offers multi-drive modes which are called Fun, Fast, and Fearless and have a simultaneous tuning of steering, throttle and regen. It also gets a single-pedal drive mode, called ‘Lively, that helps in dense traffic.
Safety
The XUV400 is based on XUV300 which boasts of a five-star safety rating from Global NCAP. According to Mahindra, extensive crash simulations undertaken with this SUV too were successful. The brand says the eSUV has been tested under extreme weather conditions, ranging from +47°C to –20°C while it also comes with dust and waterproof battery pack and motor, which meets IP67 standards.The car also gets 6 airbags, disc brakes on all wheels and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
Charging
Mahindra says the SUV offers best-in-class peak efficiency of motor (>98.2 percent) and long-life transmission oil – filled for life (>1,20,000 kms). When plugged into a DC fast charger, the XUV400 will charge up to 80% within 50 minutes while it can also be charged from any 16 Amp plug point which will take overnight to charge.
Prices
The all-electric SUV was priced starting from Rs. 15.99 lakh, while the higher variant was priced at Rs. 18.99 lakh, ex-showroom. But these were introductory prices applicable only on the first 5,000 bookings for each of the two variants. Mahindra reached this number in quick time once the bookings began. Deliveries of the car will begin in March for the higher trim and during Diwali festive season for base trim. The eSUV comes with a standard warranty of 3 years / unlimited kms and will additionally come with a warranty of 8 years or 160,000 kms (whichever is earlier) for the battery & motor.
The author is a senior editor at carandbike.com.