XEV 9e and BE 6 are Mahindras first EVs to be based on the born-electric INGLO platform. These have emerged as bestsellers, propelling Mahindra to the third spot in the list ofbestselling electric car brandsin the country. In the latest development, the XEV 9e has been spied in Korea on a trailer truck. Lets check out the details.
Component testing possibility
South Korea is one of the major global hubs for automotive tech and innovation. For XEV 9e and BE 6, the steering and braking systems are sourced from HL Mando. A major global Tier 1 OEM from South Korea, HL Mando supplies various parts to brands like Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Chevrolet, BMW, Volkswagen, Kia, etc.
In India, HL Mando operates via a joint venture with the Anand Group. For XEV 9e and BE 6, electronically-actuated brakes are used. These have an ESP module, along with an integrated master cylinder. The entire setup is provided by HL Mando. While a direct link between this test mule and HL Mando cannot be established, the possibility does exist. It could involve the fine-tuning or enhancement of existing components, or the testing of entirely new parts.
Mahindra could also be collaborating with other suppliers in Korea. It could be aimed at introducing new features for the XEV 9e or upcoming versions of the SUV. Korea has many options for carmakers for technology partnerships. For context, there is Hanon Systems, which specializes in powertrain cooling, automotive thermal and energy management solutions and EV components.
LG Energy Solution is another leading name, one of the largest battery manufacturers in the world. While XEV 9e andBE 6currently utilize BYD-sourced battery packs, there could be scope for future collaborations. Interestingly, it was reported in 2022 that LG Energy Solution will be supplying battery packs for the XUV400. However, due to supply chain issues, Mahindra later chose to go with Chinese manufacturer Farasis Energy.
Benchmarking or international market homologation
It is possible that one of the Korean carmakers brought the XEV 9e test mule to Korea for engineering benchmarking. Could be Hyundai and Kia, both of which are heavily focused on boosting their EV portfolio. It is a common practice in the automotive world to acquire competitors vehicles for teardown and analysis.
This could be aimed at understanding parts and systems such as battery packaging, power electronics, suspension tuning, software architecture, etc. XEV 9e could also be in Korea as part of its global homologation process. While South Korea is currently not a launch market for Mahindra, testing at an overseas location could still support international homologation.
XEV 9e is a global product and is currently exported to only select countries. There are plans to boost exports of the XEV 9e and BE 6 to more overseas markets in the future. Testing in South Korea could be aimed at cold-weather calibration, high-speed testing, regulatory certification and software validation for export markets.
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