80 Per Cent Of Mahindra BEV Buyers Are The OEM’s First-Time Customers; Co Adopts Strategy To Mainstream EVs

Mahindra has been aggressively expanded its electric vehicle lineup in recent months. While the automaker introduced the XEV 9S as early as December this year, the company pulled quite the move by bringing the XUV 3XO EV earlier this week, arguably its most mainstream battery electric vehicle (BEV) yet. The new Mahindra XUV 3XO EV not only opens more doors to customers but also gives the automaker opportunity to chase volumes, taking on the Tata Nexon EV and MG Windsor. Speaking to Acko Drive, Nalinikanth Golagunta, CEO - Automotive Business, Mahindra, shared insights about the automaker’s EV strategy and discovering an all-new customer base with its BEVs.

80% Mahindra BEV Buyers Are First-Time Customers

Golagunta revealed that 80 per cent of Mahindra’s BEV buyers are also its first-time customers. However, the company has managed to capture the attention of luxury car buyers, who are now looking at Mahindra’s EVs as the second or third car in the household.

Also Read: Mahindra Enters Sub-4-Metre EV Space With New XUV 3XO Electric, To Take On Tata Nexon EV

Golagunta explained, “It's a significant percentage of them [first-time buyers] have a luxury car in their household. Definitely not a car number one in the household. For a lot of people, it's a car number two in the household. For a lot of them, it's a car number three in the household, the BE 6. It tapped into a very different part of the market.”

EVs Contribute 8% To Mahindra's Total Sales

Mahindra’s Born Electric SUVs - BE 6 and XEV 9e - have helped catapult the automaker to the third best-selling EV player in the country after Tata Motors and JSW MG Motor India in the 2025 calendar year. The company sold 33,512 electric SUVs in CY2025, a healthy 369 per cent year-on-year increase over CY2024. Mahindra now has a 19 per cent market share in the passenger EV segment, up from 7 per cent a year ago. In fact, EVs now contribute 8 per cent to M&M’s overall sales.

Both the BE 6 and XEV 9e are based on Mahindra’s INGLO skateboard architecture and are a showcase of the brand’s best in EV design and technology. What’s worked for the Born Electric models is the radical styling, which truly sets is apart from everything else on the road, including Mahindra’s ICE range. Meanwhile, the feature stack ensures a more tech-induced and futuristic experience, further attracting a younger and more dynamic customer base.

Going Mainstream With XUV 3XO EV & XEV 9S

However, both the BE 6 and XEV 9e are positioned at the premium end of the mass-market EV space. The automaker is now launching a mainstream offensive with the new XEV 9S and XUV 3XO EV, both of which arrive at more accessible price points. The XEV 9S starts from ₹19.95 lakh, whereas the XUV 3XO EV is priced from ₹13.89 lakh onwards. All prices are ex-showroom.

The Mahindra XUV 3XO EV is the SUV specialist’s first sub-4-metre electric offering, taking the fight to the Tata Nexon EV and even the Punch EV to an extent. The automaker is also challenging the dominance of the MG Windsor EV, which was the best-selling EV in CY2025 with 46,735 units sold. The 3XO EV shares the same formula as the Nexon EV, becoming a powertrain choice for customers. Nalinikanth Golagunta clarified that the model continues to share its underpinnings with the ICE version, and is not based on the Born Electric platform. The electric subcompact SUV rolls out from the same assembly line as the ICE version at the Nashik plant. In fact, it wears the Twin Peaks logo instead of the Infinity logo to create a demarcation. This translates to the same cabin and feature-stack as the ICE XUV 3XO, but with a 39.4kWh battery pack and a claimed range of 285 km. Considering Mahindra has sold over 1.8 lakh units of the ICE 3XO since 2024, the brand is optimistic the electric version will replicate the success.

On the other hand, the Mahindra XEV 9S is identical to the XUV 7XO and brings three-row practicality for family buyers. Customers have shown much interest towards electric multi-seaters despite the higher acquisition price. The spacious cabin, courtesy of the flat floorboard, along with lower runnings costs and the trending SUV body style, have been factors attracting buyers. The electric three-row space also has limited options with the Kia Carens Clavis EV and BYD eMax 7 being the other contenders. This should give Mahindra a serious advantage in the segment. The automaker will start accepting orders for the XEV 9S from January 14 onwards, and Golagunta says the interest is high for the model. Meanwhile, bookings for the new XUV 3XO EV are open while deliveries are set to begin on February 23, 2026.