Words: Richard Edwards
Published 16 August 2026
Mahindra New Zealand says it expects to know more about local plans for its electric SUVs within a fortnight, as the brand relaunches its BE 6 electric SUV in India with more range, more screens and a battery subscription scheme.
“We hope to know in the next couple of weeks,” the company told us when asked about bringing its born-electric range here.
It would end a long wait. Two years ago Mahindra flew New Zealand journalists to Chennai to tour its battery development facilities, part of a push around the INGLO electric platform underpinning the BE 6 and its larger XEV 9e and XEV 9S siblings. Since then the local line-up has stayed combustion-only, built around the Scorpio and XUV700 SUVs and the ute range, while Chinese brands have filled the space the BE 6 would occupy.
The car in question was updated in India this week as the BE 6 Sporteq, revealed on Independence Day and reaching Indian customers from 26 August.
The headline addition is a 70kWh battery slotting between the existing 59kWh and 79kWh packs. All three use BYD Blade cells feeding a single rear motor, making up to 210kW and 380Nm in the largest-battery version. Mahindra claims 548km, 651km and 683km respectively on India’s lenient MIDC cycle, with DC charging peaking at 140kW for the small pack and 180kW for the other two.
Inside, a third 12.3-inch screen joins the existing pair on all but the entry variant, creating a full-width dashboard borrowed from the bigger XEVs. Behind it sits a new software suite including a Google Gemini-based voice assistant, in-car karaoke and gaming, and a digital key that works across Apple and Android phones.
Two special editions top the range: a Launch Edition in Graphite Storm with a Racing Tan interior, and a Formula E Freedom Edition with satin paint, a two-screen race-style cockpit and an Acceleration Boost function that cuts the 0-100km/h sprint to 6.44 seconds.
Indian pricing runs from 19.45 lakh rupees (around NZ$37,000) to 26.95 lakh (around NZ$51,500) before on-road costs. Buyers can also take the battery on subscription, dropping the entry price to 11.45 lakh (around NZ$22,000) and paying 3.75 rupees per kilometre over eight years.
The BE 6 is built in right-hand drive for its home market, which removes the usual obstacle to a New Zealand launch. At Indian money it would land squarely among the Chinese electric SUVs that have reshaped this end of the market, though local pricing would inevitably be higher.
