Indian car manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra wants to sell a fleet of electric SUVs in markets around the world, including the United States.
In August, Mahindra unveiled no less than five all-new, all-electric SUV concept cars that are based on its Inglo EV skateboard architecture that shares components with the VW Group’s MEB platform. These five models signify the company’s first serious step into the world of electric vehicles and the first of them is expected to hit the production line next month.
Helping to make the carmaker’s EV plans a reality will be a new $1.21 billion electric vehicle manufacturing facility that it will build near the city of Pune.
Read: Mahindra Previews 5 New Electric SUVs From XUV And BE Brands Using VW Group’s Tech
Speaking with Reuters, Mahindra and Mahindra chief executive Anish Shah said that the company has its eyes set on the global stage but that doesn’t mean it will launch imminently in markets like the United States. Quite the opposite, in fact.
“I don’t see us launching in the U.S. in the next five years,” Shah said while noting that an entry into the U.S. market “could likely be longer than five years because we have to win in some of our key markets first,” such as Europe.
However, this isn’t to say that Mahindra and Mahindra isn’t thinking about how to best launch in the U.S. In fact, he said the company is already considering whether it should build vehicles in North America to receive the benefits from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act introduced by President Joe Biden.
“We will have to think about manufacturing closer to some of the major markets — that is something we will look at,” Shah said. “But this is still far off.”
The automaker’s Inglo architecture set to underpin its future electric SUVs can support 60-80 kWh battery pack and offers 175 kW fast charging capabilities. The platform comes in rear-wheel drive guise with a single motor delivering 228 hp while an all-wheel drive model has a pair of electric motors making for a combined 335 hp.
