While the Mahindra S201 (codename) looks all set to launch in January 2019 in petrol and diesel versions, the Maruti Vitara Brezza adversary will receive an all-electric powertrain in the first quarter of 2020. This disclosure is by Dr Pawan Goenka, managing director, Mahindra & Mahindra on the sidelines of the announcement of the company's Q2 results for the current fiscal.
The company is said to be planning an investment of INR 4,000 crore into EVs by 2022. The Mahindra S201 Electric is likely to feature a 380-volt system jointly developed by Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited and Ssangyong. The all-electric setup will deliver a driving range of 250 km (as per the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC)). The Mahindra S201 Electric is expected with a claimed top speed of 150 kmph along with a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 11 seconds. The all-electric version of the company's Vitara Brezza rival is a part of the company's plans of launching two EVs by the end of the decade.
While the other EVs could be based on the existing products, they will be monocoque-based vehicles as Dr Goenka has explicitly ruled out the possibility of the company's ladder-on-frame models going electric. In May 2017, it came to light that the Mahindra XUV Aero could spawn a production-spec EV.
The Mahindra S201 is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli but carries a distinct front- and rear-end and a different skin. Moreover, with an overall length of less than 4,000 mm, it will be slightly smaller than the Korean donor. The petrol variant will employ a turbocharged motor that displaces 1.2-litres and offers a right blend of high performance and fuel economy. The diesel variant will borrow the new-age 1.5-litre oil-burner from the Marazzo which in its current state produces 121 bhp and 300 Nm.
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The Mahindra S201 will likely go on sale at a base price of INR 6.50 lakh (ex-showroom) for the petrol version and INR 7.30 lakh (ex-showroom) for the diesel variant. It's early to speculate on the pricing of the Mahindra S201 Electric but safely expect it to command a significant premium.
