So far, we have seen five new EVs launch this year, showcasing growth in the Indian electric car market. And there are more coming. Here are three EVs to look forward to before the year ends.
1. Mahindra XEV 9S
Mahindra is all set to launch its first-ever three-row eSUV on November 27. Called the XEV 9S, the SUV is built on the INGLO platform that also underpins the XEV 9e and BE 6. No powertrain specifications have been confirmed so far, but expect it to come with the same 59kWh and 79kWh battery packs doing duty in the XEV 9e and BE 6. In the latter, the larger battery pack gets an ARAI claimed range of upto 656km. The XEV 9S features a fascia design similar to the 9e, with a sleek, connected LED light bar replete with triangular LED headlamps.
Teasers have confirmed that the XEV 9S will get a similar interior to the 9e. Moreover, features like a triple-screen setup, Harmon-Kardon speaker system, a powered driver's seat with memory, a panoramic sunroof, sliding middle-row seats and a boss mode function to adjust the front seat for more space will be a part of the package. Also, expect the XEV 9S to come with front ventilated seats, leatherette upholstery and level 2 ADAS. The XEV 9S has no direct rival. However, the Kia Carens Clavis EV and the BYD eMax 7 offer three rows of seats, but are MPVs
2. Maruti Suzuki e Vitara
Maruti is finally making its EV debut in India with the e Vitara SUV on December 2. The e Vitara will be available with a choice of three powertrains— a 144hp, 49kWh battery pack with a 2WD setup and a claimed range of 344km (WLTP), a 174hp, 61kWh battery pack with a 2WD setup and a claimed range of 428km (WLTP). Expect the ARAI rated range of the 61kWh battery to be over 500km.
On the outside, the e Vitara gets rugged looks with LED headlamps and tailamps, beefy side cladding and aero styled wheels. On the inside, there's a dual-screen setup for the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment system. It comes with features like keyless entry, sunroof, 360-degree camera, powered driver seat, ADAS, Infinity-branded audio and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. We've also reviewed the e Vitara in the UK.
3. Tata Sierra EV
After the launch of the ICE-powered Sierra on November 25, Tata will follow up with the debut of the Sierra EV later this year. However, a price announcement for the all-electric Sierra is expected early next year. While there’s no confirmation on the battery pack powering the Sierra EV, its like to share the same battery pack as the Curvv EV (55kWh) and the Harrier EV (65kWh).
Tata has revealed the exterior design of the production-spec Sierra EV through teasers. While there aren't major changes in comparison to its ICE-powered sibling proportion-wise, the fascia gets a different treatment with a closed-off body-coloured grille, unlike the gloss black finish for the ICE-powered Sierra; both SUVs get similar headlight and tail-light setups. Expect the EV to come with the same set of features as the ICE version, including ADAS, a panoramic sunroof, a JBL branded audio system, ventilated seats and more. Like the e Vitara, the Sierra EV will go against the likes of the Hyundai Creta Electric, MG ZS EV, and the Mahindra BE 6.
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