South Africa may soon be getting a new electric vehicle (EV), and one that’s likely to be much more affordable than the current batch of high-end sedans and SUVs.
The car in question is the Mahindra XUV400, a battery-electric crossover that is based on the pre-existing XUV300 which is already on sale in local dealerships.
The XUV400 is made in India, and Mahindra South Africa has confirmed to local publication cars.co.za that it is investigating the viability of bringing its EVs to home ground.
XUV400 specifications
In India, the XUV400 is available in two derivatives with two different battery sizes on offer – either 34.5kWh or 39.4kWh – which should provide a range of between 375km and 456km.
It also comes with a 7.2kW charging cable, which is able to charge the vehicle to 100% in six and a half hours. A 50kW fast charger is able to reduce this to about 50 minutes.
The Mahindra then has 110kW and 310Nm at its disposal, letting it reach 100km/h in 8.3 seconds and speeds of up to 160km/h.
Visually, the battery-powered XUV400 differentiates itself from the petrol-burning XUV300 with the brand’s new Twin Peaks logo, a unique grille, 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, and exclusive copper inserts.
Standard features on the entry-level EC consists of fabric seats, automatic air conditioning, a multifunction steering wheel, a Bluetooth sound system, and three driving modes for Normal, Eco, and Sport.
The top-spec EL expands on this with leatherette seats, a reverse camera, an electric sunroof, projector LED headlights and daytime running lights, and a 7-inch infotainment unit with smartphone and smartwatch pairing.
Affordability
Directly converted in rands, the XUV400 costs about R365,000 in India at the current exchange rate, making it seem like a downright bargain.
Unfortunately, if the Mahindra does make it to South Africa it will almost certainly be much more expensive than this owing to import costs, the lack of subsidies, and the additional taxes that the local government currently places on electric vehicles.
Even so, the XUV400 has a good chance of being one of the cheapest EVs in the country due to the rather barren playing field.
There’s currently only one EV in South Africa that costs less than R1 million, namely the Mini Cooper SE which starts at R742,102.
Given that this price cannot realistically be considered affordable for the vast majority of South Africans, the XUV400 has an opportunity to become a gateway car for many consumers who would like to hop on board with electrification, competing against the GWM Ora Cat electric hatchback which is also scheduled to land in dealers soon.
Mahindra XUV400
Keyword: This affordable new electric crossover could be heading to South Africa