Mahindra enters seven-seater EV market with new XEV 9S launch

Mahindra on Thursday launched a seven-seater electric SUV priced from around  Rs 20 lakh, signalling a stronger push into a market currently led by Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles.

The launch comes as India’s EV transition accelerates after a slow start. Sales of battery-powered cars have crossed 100,000 so far this year, up from just over 23,000 units in the whole of last year, according to government data.

Mahindra will invest an additional 20 billion rupees in the new model, XEV 9S, and a new edition of the BE 6. This forms part of its planned 160 billion rupee investment to develop electric-origin SUVs through fiscal year 2027. Electric-origin models are designed from the ground up rather than adapted from petrol vehicles.

“With the XEV 9S, we are not just playing in the EV segment, we’re expanding it,” Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of Mahindra’s automotive division, said in a statement.

Here’s your first sneak peek of what’s Big. Bold. Electric.

Say hello to The Big Electric XEV 9S – an authentic 7-seater Electric Origin SUV built on the advanced INGLO platform.

Catch the World Premiere at #ScreamElectric on 27th November in Bengaluru, India.#XEV9S… pic.twitter.com/F6PepOEWUs

— Mahindra Electric Origin SUVs (@mahindraesuvs) November 3, 2025

The company launched six variants of the e-SUV. The top variant is priced at about $33,000 and offers a driving range of 500 km (311 miles). Bookings open on January 14 and deliveries begin on January 23.

The launch could help Mahindra cannibalise at least 5,000–10,000 units a year, given the limited number of seven-seater options in the segment, Rishi Vora, vice president at Kotak Securities, said.

Mahindra, India’s second-largest SUV manufacturer by volume, aims for EVs to account for at least 20 per cent of its SUV sales by 2027. It sold more than 30,000 electric SUVs between March and October this year, according to a company presentation.

Production of its earlier EV models, XEV 9E and BE 6, is currently at 4,000–5,000 units a month, and the firm plans to double EV capacity from April 2026, an executive said at the launch.

Analysts say EVs are drawing new customers to Mahindra, with 80 per cent of buyers new to the brand.

Tata Motors PV, the country’s EV market leader, offers six electric models. Its Tiago EV starts from $8,950 and its SUV Harrier begins from $24,000. Rival Hyundai Motor India also sells EVs under the Creta and IONIQ brands.

Electric four-wheelers currently make up 2%–3% of India’s total vehicle sales. High upfront costs and inconsistent charging infrastructure remain key obstacles, even as the government targets 30% EV penetration by 2030.