The Mahindra XUV400 brings a range of 456 km to the party and will be hitting the Indian market in March 2023. Should it come to South Africa as potentially SA’s cheapest electric car?

This looks like your ordinary run-of-the-mill Mahindra XUV300, doesn’t it? But, if you look closely and spot the clever wheels, fuel filler cap towards the front of the vehicle and the different tail lights, you’ll realise this is different.

Mahindra SA is in a strong place right now, with the recent arrival of the family-focused XUV700 and the offroad-ready Scorpio-N.

Meet the Mahindra XUV400, an electric vehicle that’s available in two derivatives. There are two battery sizes on offer; 34.5 kWh and 39.4 kWh, giving a range of 375 km and 456 km respectively. This claim is based on the Indian driving cycle standards.

As far as performance goes, there’s 110 kW and 310 Nm and the Mahindra XUV400 is said to hit 100 kph in just 8.3 seconds and gp to a top speed of 150 kph. Physically, the XUV400 is 4 200mm long with a wheelbase of 2 600 mm, which puts it roughly in the same size bracket as things like the Haval Jolion and Hyundai Creta.

Standard Features

When it comes to features, the XUV400 is reasonably well equipped. The entry-level model features:

Single Pedal Drive

3 Intelligent Drive Modes

2 Airbags

R16 Steel Wheels

Connected Car

Fabric Seats

All Disc Brakes

Electrically Adjustable ORVM

LED Tail Lamps

60:40 Seats

2 Charger Options – 3.3 kW, 7.2 kW

The higher-spec model adds the following content:

6 Airbags

Bi-tone colour options

R16 Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels

Connected Car + Smartwatch Connectivity

Leatherette Seats

Electrically Adjustable + Foldable ORVM

Rear View Camera

17.78 cm Infotainment System

Android Auto, Apple CarPlay

Electric Sunroof

Projector Headlamps with Daytime Running Lights

Mahindra XUV400 for South Africa?

Interestingly, the XUV400 is priced around R365 000 in India if we go on the current exchange rate in early March 2023. As a reminder, South African electric cars are subject to an additional tax that pushes the prices up and there’s no government subsidy or incentive. Even then, we’d guesstimate that if it were to come to South Africa, it would still be substantially cheaper than the current most affordable EV, the Mini Cooper SE (R742 102).

Could Mahindra SA bring it to South Africa? There’s already one big advantage as India is a right-hand drive market and thus compatible for our roads. We reached out to Mahindra South Africa for comment.

“Mahindra South Africa shall soon commence a study to evaluate the product fit and viability of the all-new XUV400 EV. At the same time, Mahindra is participating in the national discussion on electric vehicle policy as championed by NAAMSA. We hope to see the final national policy on EVs soon.”

“The XUV400 EV shares the dynamics and world-class safety of the XUV300, which is well established in South Africa, and it would be a success in the local market where there is a definite need for an affordable and practical electric model” said Mr Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra SA.

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