The BE 6 from Mahindra is India’s best-looking mass-market EV. Period. That might sound like a tall statement but one look at the SUV is enough to convince. I mean, we’ve not seen any Indian manufacturer do what Mahindra has done here, till date. We’ve seen Mahindra make bold moves in the SUV space, but this time, it really has hit the ball out of the park! And for that matter, the BE 6 doesn’t just look the part, it delivers what perhaps no other made-in-India EV does!
Kudos to Mahindra for not toning down the design of the BE 05 concept, because effectively, not only does the BE 6 look concept car-like, it also looks unlike anything else in India! The lines are sharp and make for a very appealing looking coupe-SUV stance. You also cannot miss the massive air duct on the hood, because given the front-end design, it makes for a very Lancia-like appearance. Heck, the overall design is such that merely calling the BE 6 radical or futuristic looking is a gross understatement! There’s gloss black cladding all-round, while 19-inch wheels sit under well-pronounced wheel arches.
There are dual spoilers at the rear – one is a lip spoiler on the boot lid, the other a split, roof-mounted spoiler. I also like the C-shaped tail lamps, as they’re minimalistic but very futuristic looking. Also, the BE 6 does not use Mahindra’s twin peaks logo, but instead has ‘BE’ mentioned. Overall, Mahindra is clearly, targeting young SUV buyers wanting a snazzy-looking SUV. Then there’s the dimensions – the BE 6 is bigger than is its direct rival, the Tata Curvv EV, which should give it an edge, besides the radical design, while ground clearance stands at 207mm.
Interiors are radical looking too. The driver gets a halo loop, reminding of F1 cars, and there’s no door handles inside but only fabric door straps inspired by the Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS! The steering wheel is flat at the top and bottom and has a gloss black central spoke, with illuminated touch controls. Two 12.3-inch screens sit atop the dashboard, besides which, the drive selector is an aircraft-style unit, and you even get roof-mounted toggle switches to complete the feel! Then there’s the panoramic sunroof where the glass integrates ambient lighting to create a unique effect.
The feature list is so exhaustive, stuff like smartphone connectivity, 360-degree view and Level 2 ADAS feel routine. You get a proper head-up display with AI, a wide-angle camera inside to use for video calls and selfies, but more importantly, the camera monitors driver alertness constantly. So, if you are distracted or looking at your phone screen, you will be alerted. You also get a 16-speaker Harman audio system, which is a class act, but these are just the tip of the iceberg in the BE 6.
Powertrain options include a 59kWh battery pack and a 79kWh one, but more importantly the BE 6 is rear-wheel drive! The battery provides juice to a single electric motor and while the smaller battery offers 231PS, the larger one offers 286PS. Peak torque is common at 380Nm. Mahindra has gone in for LFP blade cells, among the latest in battery technology. ARAI certified range for the 59kWh version is 535km while the 79kWh battery pack offers a higher 682km. We only drove the 79kWh version and came back impressed.
Throttle responses are comparable to high-end petrol-powered cars in terms of feeling smooth and progressive. NVH levels are excellent too, especially considering there’s no engine under the hood. Performance is brisk and comparable to German luxury sedans powered by turbocharged petrol engines to say the least.
There are three driving modes, and Race mode lets you unlock the full potential, letting you accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in just 6.7 seconds, making the BE 6 the quickest accelerating production car from an Indian car maker! You also get Boost mode to overtake, using additional boost for a few seconds. There’s four regen levels with ‘brake-by-wire’ and I liked having regen set to the strongest, enabling single pedal driving. The BE 6 also balances ride and handling nicely. It handles exceptionally well and feels sportscar-like but at the same time, ensures broken roads are soaked up with aplomb, courtesy the semi-adaptive suspension.
Overall, the BE 6 is pretty much unlike anything else on sale in the country and if anything, sets lofty benchmarks for made-in-India EVs. It’s an EV that’ll make fence sitters want to consider EVs with its design and features and convince them with its performance and handling. And with prices beginning from Rs 18.90 lakh ex-showroom, the BE 6 sure is a cracker of a deal too!
