Mahindra BE 6 vs Maruti e Vitara: Which EV Will Win the Market?

The midsize electric SUV segment is going to heat up with the launch of three new models – Hyundai Creta EV, Mahindra BE 6, and Maruti e Vitara. Mahindra BE 6 will be the first born-electric SUV from the indigenous automaker, while the Maruti e Vitara will be the brand’s first all-electric SUV in India. While both models are yet to make their public appearance, detailed specifications have already sparked excitement among enthusiasts. In this article, we take a closer look at how these two game-changing EVs compare across key aspects.

Mahindra BE 6 Vs Maruti e Vitara – Launch & Price (Expected)

Prices of Mahindra’s BE 6 electric SUV start from Rs 18.90 lakh (for the entry-level Pack One variant). This is its introductory ex-showroom price. The full price list of the EV will be revealed with its public debut at the Bharat Mobility Show in January 2025. Deliveries will begin by late February or early March.

Maruti e Vitara will make its India debut at the second edition of the Bharat Mobility Show next month in New Delhi. Its market launch will take place in March, followed by its European launch around June 2025. Prices of the e Vitara are expected to start from Rs 20 lakh onwards.

Mahindra BE 6 Vs Maruti e Vitara – Design, Dimensions & Platform

Mahindra’s first born-electric SUV stays true to its concept, carrying a futuristic design language, sharp edges, prominent wheel arches, and thick gloss black cladding around the sides. It has a unique air duct between the headlamps along with C-shaped LED DRLs, a coupe roofline, wraparound glasshouse, full-width wraparound LED taillights, and a rear bumper with a diffuser-like effect. 

Based on Mahindra’s all-new INGLO platform, this electric coupe SUV has been equipped with 19-inch aero-optimized wheels with 245/55 section tyres. The overall length, width, and height of the BE 6 stand at 4,371mm, 1,907mm, and 1,627mm, respectively. It has a wheelbase of 2,775mm and a ground clearance of 207mm. The EV comes with a boot space of 455 litres and a frunk of 45 litres.

The e Vitara is essentially the production-ready version of the Maruti eVX concept. While the sharp edges and creases have been removed, it retains the rugged body built with dark cladding all around its base. The EV features tri-slash LED DRLs at the front and rear, as we have seen in its concept. In fact, the charging ports on the front flanks and the pronounced arch over the rear wheel have also been carried forward from the concept. While the lower version will have 18-inch alloy wheels, the higher trims with the AWD setup will get sporty 19-inch 225/50 R19 tyres. 

Similar to the Swift, the e Vitara has C-pillar-mounted rear door handles. Maruti Suzuki’s EV measures 4,275mm in length, 1,800mm in width, and 1,637mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,700mm. It comes with a ground clearance of 180mm. The e Vitara underpins the all-new skateboard Heartect-e platform that’s jointly developed with Toyota.

Mahindra BE 6 Vs Maruti e Vitara – Interior and Features

The BE 6 has a cockpit-like interior extending from the dashboard to the centre console. It has a dual-screen setup with 12.3-inch floating screens supporting MAIA software with over 30 pre-installed apps. Interestingly, its infotainment system has three pre-set themes – Calm, Cozy, and Club, with ambient light and climate control adjustments. Mahindra’s all-new born-electric EV is also the first vehicle in its segment to offer an augmented reality HUD. 

For entertainment purposes, there is a Dolby Atmos 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Mahindra has equipped the BE 6 with lots of advanced features, including Level 2 ADAS, 5G connectivity with in-built Wi-Fi, 360-degree cameras, OTA updates, a powered driver’s seat with a memory function, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof with integrated multi-colour lighting patterns and laminated glass, auto park assist, seven airbags, and many more.

The interior of Maruti Suzuki’s electric SUV is completely different from the existing Maruti cars. The EV features a floating dual screen for infotainment and instrument functionalities, a floating centre console with a gloss black finish, a twin-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel, a rotary drive state selector, and part-fabric and part-leatherette upholstery. In terms of features, you get a wireless phone charger, single-zone auto climate control, side and curtain airbags, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, hill descent control, and drive modes, etc.

Mahindra BE 6 Vs Maruti e Vitara – Battery and Range

Mahindra has confirmed that the BE 6 will be offered with 59kWh and 79kWh battery packs, benefitting from BYD’s Blade cell technology. The smaller battery version delivers a claimed power of 228bhp and 380Nm of torque, and an ARAI-certified range of 556km. The larger battery variant is good enough for 281bhp and 380Nm. The carmaker says that it offers an ARAI-claimed range of 682km and a WTPL range of 550km. Both batteries get the RWD (rear-wheel drive) system as standard. Mahindra claims that its new born-electric SUV can do 0 to 100kmph in 6.7 seconds with the bigger battery. It has three drive modes, namely, Range, Everyday, and Race, along with a Boost mode. The carmaker will provide 11.2kW AC and 7.3kW AC chargers with the EV. The batteries can also be charged with a 175kW DC fast charger from 20 to 80 percent in just 20 minutes.

Maruti Suzuki hasn’t yet revealed range figures for the e Vitara. However, it revealed that the EV will come with two battery options – 49kWh and 61kWh. Both will get a single electric motor and FWD drivetrain system as standard. The dual-motor and AWD system (AllGrip-e) is reserved for the larger 61kWh battery variants. These batteries use LFP (lithium-iron phosphate) cells sourced from BYD. The 48kWh battery version with a single motor produces a maximum power of 144bhp. The 61kWh battery variant with the single and dual-motor setups offers 174bhp and 184bhp, respectively. The torque output for both setups (with a single motor) stands at 189Nm. The e-AllGrip AWD version with two electric motors pushes out power worth 184bhp and 300Nm of torque.