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Mahindra BE 6e Review: The Sporty Futuristic SUV For The Electric Masses
August 15th, 2022, was a monumental day for Mahindra as the Mumbai-based firm pulled the covers of its new era of electric mobility at its design studio in England. Among the scores of electric SUVs revealed was the BE.05 concept, part of the firm's new BE (Born Electric, pronounced "be").
Over two years after its debut as the BE.05, that concept that first germinated in the mind of designer Pratap Bose has stepped into the spotlight in the form of the nearly identical production-spec Mahindra BE 6e electric coupe SUV alongside its more luxurious cousin, the XEV 9e.
So how does the new Mahindra BE 6e drive? Is it all show and no go? We got into the fighter pilot cockpit-inspired driver's section of the all-new Mahindra BE 6e in Chennai to find the answers for you.
Mahindra BE 6e Review: Exterior Design - Sporty Electric Deja-Vu
One glance at the all-new Mahindra BE 6e, and you can't help but marvel at how this concept car made it to production virtually unchanged. The new BE 6e looks like the BE.05 concept and you'd need a magnifying glass to spot the subtle tweaks Mahindra made to get it road-ready.
At the front, the Mahindra BE 6e grabs your attention with its striking C-shaped LED daytime running lights. The top horizontal lightbar cleverly doubles as the SUV coupe's indicators, beneath which sits the sleek LED headlights, while the fog lamps are positioned lower on the front bumper, flanking the faux bashplate.
A highlight of the BE 6e's front end is the wing-like front section of the bonnet on which you see the glowing BE logo. Just below this is an eye-catching design element reminiscent of the Ferrari 488 Pista's S-Duct. This opens up behind the wing section and is the reason the frunk is on the smaller side, offering just 45 litres of space.
The sides of the BE 6e like those of its larger XEV 9e cousin feature piano black panels that stretch over the wheel arches and the lower section of the coupe SUV's side and before ending at the rear bumper. While it may look premium, a few hard days on our roads could lead to all that shiny black material becoming a scratched-up mess.
Speaking of the wheelarches, they play host to aero-optimised 19-inch wheels (20-inch wheels are offered as an optional extra). The rear left wheel arch also features a panel (just after the rear door) that opens up to reveal the charging point for the BE 6e, which like the one for the XEV 9e features some rather cool lighting tricks to let you know how your new EV is charging up.
With its sharply raked A-Pillar and front windscreen along with that gently sloping roofline and jacked-up ground clearance, the BE 6e sure looks the part of an SUV coupe. However, that coupe roofline means that the rear windows look rather small.
At the rear, just above the raked rear windscreen sits a dual spoiler setup while the boot lid also sports another spoiler underneath which sits the C-shaped taillights and the third brake light. The boot lid itself plays host to an illuminated version of the new Mahindra Infinity logo. Lower down you'll find the twin diffuser elements that play host to reflectors.
The boot of the BE 6e electrically opens and closes and offers 455 litres of space, which is decent for a vehicle this size and can gobble most of your luggage needs for a weekend road trip or a shopping expedition to the mall.
Mahindra BE 6e Review: Interior & Features - Living The Fighter Pilot Dream
Step into the Mahindra BE 6e and slide into the driver's seat, and you'll feel like you've stepped into a fighter pilot's cockpit. This part of the cabin is all about the driver, wrapping you in a space that lets your inner child live out those high-flying dreams.
There are switches overhead for controlling various functions of the BE 6e, adding to the aircraft-like vibe. Then there's the gear lever, designed like an aircraft thrust controller, complete with a side button for the parking brake, giving serious echoes of a jet fighter's trigger switch.
The driver's seat feels like a personal cockpit, cocooning you with its design and surrounded by ambient lighting that sets just the right mood. Standout features include the pair of 12.3-inch screens - one for instrumentation and the other for infotainment - bringing a high-tech vibe to the cabin.
However, one niggle we had was the engine Start/Stop button, which uses a capacitive touch rather than a traditional push button. On the bright side, the fabric door pulls, reminiscent of the GT3 RS, add a sporty touch and partially make up for it.
The infotainment touchscreen unit is packed with modern features, including 5G connectivity and wireless support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It pairs beautifully with a premium 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system featuring Dolby Atmos, delivering your music exactly how it's meant to be heard.
That said, just like with the XEV 9e, we can't help but wish Mahindra had incorporated more physical controls. Relying entirely on the touchscreen, with the old i-drive-inspired knob controller as the only physical option, makes adjusting things like the air conditioning or drive modes a bit less intuitive.
The seats of the Mahindra BE 6e are draped in a mix of fabric and leatherette upholstery that blends well together and gives the seats a distinct two-tone look providing good contrast to the dark cabin theme.
When it comes to comfort, the front seats are superbly supportive and the driver's seat can be electrically adjusted to get you into that perfect sporty driving position. The adjustable headrests have a concept-like design but deliver excellent comfort for your head and neck.
The rear seats, however, feel a tad cramped, especially if there's a taller driver up front. While knee and headroom are decent, we couldn't help but wish for better thigh support to make rear-seat journeys more comfortable. Also do remember to duck when you get into the rear seats unless you want to crack your head against that low roofline.
Taller passengers might find the rear seats a bit too snug, with the sloping roofline, small rear windows, and dark interior amplifying that claustrophobic feeling. That said, the claustrophobia eases when you slide back the cover on the large panoramic sunroof. However, we wish Mahindra offered an option to skip the gimmicky lighting setup.
As for storage spaces, the BE 06 offers many options though the storage bin which while cooled (nice) is a bit too small for our liking. The same can be said for the storage areas on the doors, which we wish were slightly larger.
The BE 6e's cabin packs some standout features, starting with the two-spoke steering wheel. It is equipped with controls for regen levels, one-pedal driving, and boost mode. You'll also find automatic climate control, an augmented reality heads-up display, and a 360-degree camera which is a real help with parking (if you like doing it yourself) considering the small, raked rear windscreen.
Like its XUV 9e cousin, the Mahindra BE 6e is loaded with safety features. It boasts seven airbags, including one for the driver's knees, a driver alertness system, and Level 2+ ADAS with radar and cameras. There's also blind-spot monitoring, auto parking, ABS with EBD, Hill Hold Control, and traction control. On top of that, it offers a unique feature called Pawpal, designed to keep your pets comfortable and cool inside if you need to step out quickly.
Mahindra BE 6e Review: Specs & Dimensions - Sporty Bigness
The BE 6e like the XEV 9e is based on the INGLO skateboard platform for EVs and therefore has the same wheelbase length of 2,775mm. The 6e is 4,371mm in length, 1,907mm in width and 1,627mm in height and offers 207mm of ground clearance and a 10-metre turning circle diameter.
Like the XUV 9e, the BE 6e comes with a choice of two battery packs - a 59kWh or a 79kWh option. The 59kWh battery delivers a range of 535km (MIDC) on a single charge and can go from 20% to 80% in just 20 minutes using a 140kW DC fast charger. For AC charging, you've got a 7.2kW option that takes 8.7 hours for a full charge, or an 11kW charger that gets the job done in six hours.
The larger 79kWh battery pack offers an impressive MIDC range of 682km on a single charge. It also supports rapid charging, taking just 20 minutes to jump from 20% to 80% when connected to a 175kW DC fast charger. With AC charging, it matches the smaller pack's options - the 7.2kW charger takes 11.7 hours for a full charge, while the 11kW charger brings it down to eight hours.
Both battery packs use BYD's blade tech and LFP chemistry and are connected to a single electric motor mounted to the rear axle. The electric motor pushes out 228bhp and 380Nm of torque when connected to the 59kWh pack with the power rising to 281.6bhp for the 79kWh battery pack variant, which can sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.7 seconds.
Like the XEV 9e, the new Mahindra BE 6e features semi-active dampers with a McPherson Strut i-Link independent suspension and stabilizer bar at the front and a 5-link independent suspension and stabilizer bar to take care of the bumps, ruts and anything else you encounter on our roads.
Braking duties are handled by disc brakes all around with the regenerative braking system harnessing the excess energy released under braking (3 different levels) to charge up the battery pack on the go.
Mahindra BE 6e Review: Driving Impressions - A Fun & Sporty Drive
The long-flowing looks of the XEV 9e did draw a few more eyeballs when we drove around Chennai but the BE 6e sure did gather quite a bit of attention on its own from pedestrians and other drivers alike. On the move, it is like nothing else on sale today and looks like a dune racer from the future that has somehow managed to travel back in time.
On the move, the driver's seat of the Mahindra BE 6e is absolutely the best spot to be. Disengage the parking brake, slide the lever into drive, and put your foot down in the sportiest Race mode - you'll be hitting triple digits in no time. Mahindra claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds, and during our tests at Mahindra's Chennai facility, we consistently hit that mark.
The BE 6e's suspension is tuned on the sportier side, making it feel noticeably stiffer compared to the XUV 9e, especially in Race mode as you tackle corners. That said, the semi-active adjustable damping ensures it handles bumps and potholes in the city with relative ease.
The squared-off, flat-bottom steering wheel might feel unfamiliar at first, but it's incredibly light and easy to use - you can even go lock-to-lock with just one finger. Around town, the BE 6e feels nimble despite its hefty 2.2-tonne weight, and as you pick up speed, the steering gains just the right amount of weight in the stability of the SUV coupe on the highway.
Braking duties are managed by a brake-by-wire system paired with disc brakes, offering a strong initial bite and bringing the stub-nosed BE 6e to a rapid halt. The regeneration modes work effectively, though Level 3 might feel a little too aggressive for some. It also supports one-pedal driving, but we didn't get the chance to give that feature a proper test.
Mahindra BE 6e Review: Final Thoughts & Verdict - The Sporty SUV For The Electric Masses
The Mahindra BE 6e marks the debut of Mahindra's "Born Electric" sub-brand, and it's hard to imagine a more fitting introduction. This bold and unapologetic EV demands your attention from the moment you lay eyes on it, and it keeps you captivated all the way to your destination, leaving you grinning behind the wheel.
Of course, there are a few compromises, like the limited rear space caused by the low, swooping coupe-style roof and the touch controls for the AC and drive modes, which might take some getting used to. But once you slip into the driver's seat, surrounded by the fighter jet-inspired cockpit, it's easy to ignore those niggles. Tap the accelerator, and you'll find yourself revelling in the sheer fun this EV delivers on the road.
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