Volkswagen Group to share MEB platform with Mahindra
In keeping with Skoda's audacious plan to deploy three additional EVs by 2026, the brand-new Skoda Vision 7S car provides a sneak peek at an electric SUV that will be available. Three rows of two seats each, plus a baby seat placed on top of a central spine that runs along the centre of the cabin, make up the "six-plus-one" seating configuration.
The Vision 7S is bigger than the Skoda Enyaq which too utilizes the MEB platform, which will be further used by Skoda in the other 2 upcoming EVs. The unique electric MEB platform from the Volkswagen Group is garnering quite a lot of attention as it is also going to be used by Mahindra in the 5 electric SUVs they showcased on Independence Day.
After Ford, Mahindra is the second company to use the MEB platform from the VW Group. Ford will start producing an electric SUV based on the MEB platform this year at its factory in Cologne, Germany. Mahindra has already said that two brands - XUV and BE - would be used to market the Mahindra electric SUVs that are first set to launch in December 2024
Over the course of the agreement, the brands will build more than 1 million vehicles, according to a statement from VW. The names of Mahindra's VW-based SUVs are XUV.e8, XUV.e9, BE.05, BE.07, and BE.09. According to Mahindra, the first of the five electric SUVs will be on sale in India by the end of 2024, and the other four should follow by the end of 2026.
Mahindra is calling this platform the INGLO platform. When compared to global-spec vehicles, most manufacturers offer outdated models in India, while Mahindra wants to sell automobiles that are global-spec from the start. This is how Mahindra came up with the name INGLO, it is GLO-bal in standards and IN-dian at heart.
As part of a larger strategic agreement to hasten the electrification of the Indian automotive sector, VW will investigate further possible areas of cooperation with Mahindra, including vehicle projects, local cell manufacture, and charging systems like VW's Flexpoles.
This architecture will be one of the lightest skateboards around and will be fully modular and scalable to fit a range of models. Volkswagen will supply various components for the INGLO architecture.
Mahindra will equip these EVs with LFP batteries. These battery packs will be of a common design and carry standardised cell-to-pack technology but will be scalable for size between 60 to 80 kWh. The battery packs will use the newest blade and prismatic battery architectures to optimize energy density and safety. These batteries will be able to charge at up to 175 kW, good for an 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes.
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Mahindra debuts two EV sub-brands, five EV concepts, launch from December 2024
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