► Technology tie-up between VW and Mahindra
► Will use MEB components
► Aims for five new electric SUVs
Mahindra is already a force in Formula E, and soon it’ll be making a new range electric cars for the road. However, the Indian company won’t be doing it alone; it’s just unveiled more details of a partnership with Volkswagen that’ll see it release five electric cars using the brand’s MEB technology.
Mahindra has built its own INLGO EV platform, but most of the components plugged in to it – from the electric drivetrain, the battery system and the unified cell – will come from Volkswagen. As you’d expect in 2022, all five electric cars from the project are destined to be EVS, and the aim is to produce more than one million units during the length of the partnership.
It’s possible that the EVs could come to the UK, but the main priority of the partnership will be unlocking the potential of the ever-growing Indian car market. One of the five largest markets in the world, India was also the only country other than China to have an increase in registrations in in the first half of 2022. This partnership should tap into that.
In addition to the vehicles, the partnership could result in other synergies including e-mobility, charging and more importantly battery cell manufacturing – which would all contribute the India’s electric ecosystem.
‘Together, Volkswagen and Mahindra can contribute significantly to the electrification of India, a huge automotive market with ambitious climate protection commitments,’ said Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board of Management member for Technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.
‘We are happy that we have identified a larger scope of The MEB Electric Platform and its components are key to affordable sustainable mobility around the globe. The partnership not only demonstrates that our platform business is highly competitive, but also that the MEB is well on track to become one of the leading open platforms for e-mobility.’