When launched, Mahindra eKUV100 could be offered as the most affordable electric car in the Indian market, possibly priced below Rs 9 lakh (ex-showroom)
Mahindra is planning to ramp up the electric mobility space by launching a host of new electric cars in India. Some of them were showcased at the last edition of AutoExpo held in 2020. The most promising of those was a concept prototype of eKUV100, the fully electric version of KUV100 micro UV.
There have been a lot of conjectures regarding the launch of the electric crossover as the project has faced multiple delays primarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it seems the project is back on track as a test mule of the electric KUV100 has been spotted on roads once again, this time in an undisguised avatar.
2022 Mahindra KUV100 EV – Exterior Styling
It is the second time that the upcoming electric crossover has been spotted in its production-spec form without any camouflage. The latest spy shots are credited to Chaitanya Pise which have been uploaded on Facebook group Rushlane Spylane.
The spy pics make it clear that overall design of eKUV100 is almost identical to its IC engine-powered counterpart. However, there are subtle variations in styling which provide the electric crossover a distinct appeal.
The most prominent of those is a closed-off front grille for improved aerodynamics with small arrow-shaped inserts, some of them painted in blue. Charging ports are installed on both the front fenders- one exclusively for standard AC charging and one for both AC and DC fast charging.
While headlights remain the same as the ones on its fossil-fueled sibling, taillight clusters have been completely redesigned. Further, blue accents have also been carried forward to the headlights as well as taillights. The chrome trim on the tailgate portrays a quirky ‘+’ and ‘-’ sign which further differentiates it from the current KUV100. Additionally, alloy wheels are also expected to flaunt a different design with blue inserts.
Expected Powertrain Specs
Powering eKUV100 is a 40kW electric motor that draws energy from a 15.9kWh battery pack. This powertrain returns a peak output of 40 bhp and 120 Nm of torque while a range of around 140km can be expected on a single charge. These figures aren’t the greatest but were mentioned alongside the pre-production concept at AutoExpo 2020.
On using a regular AC charger, the battery pack takes 5 hours and 45 minutes to get fully charged (on the front right fender flap). Using the DC fast charger, the battery gets replenished from 0 to 80 percent in just 55 minutes (on the front left fender flap). Upon its launch, eKUV100 will be positioned as an entry-level electric undercutting Tata Nexon EV and Tigor EV. It could be a direct rival to the upcoming Tata Punch electric.
Source: Electric - rushlane.com
