XUV400: Mahindra’s first electric SUV gets 456km range

Mahindra & Mahindra has taken the wraps off its all-electric XUV400, which is based on the compact XUV300 SUV. The XUV400 is not Mahindra’s first EV, but it’s certainly the first of Mahindra’s upcoming EV onslaught that will also include the XUV.e and BE range from 2024 onwards.

The XUV400 will start reaching showrooms for test drives from December 2022 onwards, followed by the opening of bookings, price announcement and deliveries in January 2023.  

Powertrain, range and charging
Replacing the petrol and diesel engines of the XUV300, the XUV400 gets a 39.4kWh battery pack. It's powered by a front-axle mounted electric motor that produces 150hp and 310Nm of peak torque. The company claims the XUV400 can sprint from 0-100kph in 8.3 seconds, making it the quickest in its class. It has a top-speed of 150kph.  

Mahindra claims a range of 456km on a single charge as per Indian driving cycle (MIDC). When plugged into a 50kW DC fast charger, the batteries can be charged from 0-80 percent within 50 minutes. When charged via a 7.2 kW/32A outlet, it takes 6 hours 30 minutes for 0-100 percent charge while the same is achieved in 13 hours when using a standard 3.3 kW/16A domestic socket.

The XUV400 also features three driving modes - Fun, Fast and Fearless - that adjusts the steering and throttle response as well as the level of regenarative braking. Mahindra claims that the XUV400 is capable of single pedal driving where the regenarative braking takes care of the deceleration. 

Styling
The XUV400 has a wheelbase of 2,600mm which is identical to the XUV300, but measuring 4200mm in length, it is 205mm longer than the latter, courtesy of a redesigned rear end. This is because EVs do not get any tax benefits for being under 4 meters unlike ICE vehicles, which is why Mahindra was free to extend the length of the XUV, which ultimately also gives it better proportions.

The XUV400, for the most part, looks similar to its ICE-powered sibling, but gets some EV specific touches that are clearly inspired by the eXUV300 concept showcased at 2020 Auto Expo.

The biggest updates are to the front fascia where the XUV400 gets a new closed-off grille with arrowhead-shaped inserts and the ‘Twin Peaks’ logo in the centre, both finished in bronze. And while the headlamp unit is similar to the XUV300, the LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) are only confined to the main cluster and do not drop down to the bumper below. Instead, the bumper gets new bronze garnishes around the faux fog lamp housings that are much larger here on the XUV400. The bumper also features prominent creases that’s made to look like an X and a narrowed down central air intake.

In profile too, the XUV400 looks largely similar to the XUV300, retaining a similar glass house and character lines over the rear quarter. The 16-inch alloy wheels are again identical to the XUV300.  At the rear, the tail lamps feature new detailing with arrowhead-shaped inserts but the overall design of the tail gate and even the rear bumper are again very similar to that of the XUV300. 

The XUV400 will be offered in five colour options - Arctic Blue, Everest White, Galaxy Grey, Napoli Black and Infinity Blue - with the option of a contrasting roof finished in copper. 

Interior and features
On the inside, the overall dashboard design of the XUV400 is pretty similar to its ICE counterpart. However, compared to the lighter colours seen on the XUV300, the XUV400 sees an all-black interior with bronze highlights around the AC vents and some switchgear. There are new gloss black inserts on the dashboard and steering wheel, the latter also featuring the new Twin Peaks logo finished in bronze.  

All the switchgear, the analog instrument cluster with digital MID and even the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is shared with the XUV300, although it now runs Mahindra's AdrenoX infotainment software. The centre console, however, sees an update with a newly designed drive selector replacing the traditional gear lever. 

In terms of features, the XUV400 carries over all equipment that's already offered on the XUV300 and then some more. That includes dual-zone climate control, single-pane sunroof, cruise control, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and connected car technology with over-the-air updates. Safety features include six airbags, disc brakes for all four wheels, IP67 rating for the battery pack and ISOFIX anchorages. 

The XUV400 is intended as a direct rival to the Tata Nexon EV - Nexon EV Max to be more specific - which it closely matches in terms of specs. 

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