Can M&M retain its SUV edge in the EV era?
NEW DELHI : Aadya Ahuja, a 27-year-old counselling psychologist based in Delhi, loves the thunderous rumble of diesel engines. She inherits her fascination for tall, butch Mahindra SUVs from her father. In fact, she learnt to drive on her father’s diesel-powered Scorpio, a rather unusual choice for a young person in a city getting behind the wheel for the first time.
But once she did, she knew it was the right vehicle for her. Now, she drives the Thar and Scorpio, both iconic Mahindra SUVs that the automaker has recently rendered in a modern avatar. “You know the sound diesel cars make, those truckey noises? I love that," she gushes.
Fans of true-blue rugged sports utility vehicles (SUVs) find the growls of their engines and the commanding presence that these vehicles exude on the road uncompromisable qualities. But what about electric SUVs, which can barely be heard? “I want to be able to loom large on the road. That’s the appeal of the Thar and Scorpio for me," Aadya explains.
“If these SUVs are to get electrified, and electrification is the only change, that is great, that saves me fuel costs. But if they have even a slight difference in terms of how they look or how they sound, I don’t think I’d go for them. Besides, if I take my Scorpio on a family trip to, say, Ambala or Chandigarh, I know I’ll find fuel everywhere.
I am not comfortable with the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure within the city, let alone relying on it for a longer trip outside the city", she says. Mahindra knows that challenge well. That is why, you will not see any of its butch SUVs being propelled by a battery anytime soon.
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