M&M to Sell EVs Through Existing Network: One-Stop Shop for All Choices

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Mahindra & Mahindra will utilise its existing sales network to sell its electric vehicle range as the automaker looks to offer all the choices to customers under one roof, according to a top company executive.

The Mumbai-based automajor, which sells models like Thar and Scorpio, has now expanded its electric vehicle range with the launch of two all-new ground up models -- BE 6e and XEV 9e.

"One of the reasons, why we want to keep the sales channel the same, is because we want to give the customer the choice between ICE (internal combustion engine cars) and EVs," Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Executive Director and CEO for auto and farm sectors Rajesh Jejurikar told PTI in an interaction.

He was replying to a query if the company would also look at establishing a separate sales network for its EV range. Rival Tata Motors has set up a separate sales channel to sell EV models.

The deliveries of newly-introduced EV models -- BE 6e and XEV 9e are expected to begin in February-March next year. The company currently sells one electric model -- XUV 400, in the market.

Elaborating on the reasons for not having a separate sales network for EVs, Jejurikar said: "For a customer to come into our outlet, they should see all the products so that they can then choose, and sometimes they will take more than one (model). So this is one way how demand gets generated."

"So we really don't want to be in a situation where we isolate right now..instead we want to give customers the choice to choose," Jejurikar said.

He noted that the company is creating a specialised team at the sales outlets to take care of electric vehicle sales and service.

"We are hiring specialist sales people with experience in luxury and premium brands..Similarly, for our workshops, we are hiring specialist technical talent who are capable of addressing issues," Jejurikar said.

Mahindra has over 1,370 sales and around 1,100 service touchpoints across the country.

On export potential of the two Born Electric (BE) brands, he noted the company at first would focus on catering to the demand in the domestic market.

"We would first look at India, and kind of make sure we are successful here, put all our attention here. Then we want to look at western right hand drive markets, and then over a period of time, left hand drive western world markets," Jejurikar stated.

M&M has committed Rs 4,500 crore on the overall development, including the creation of production capacity, for the two new electric brands. The investment is part of the Rs 16,000 crore capex the company has announced for the electric vehicle business between the FY22-27 cycle.

The company has created a production capacity of 90,000 units per annum at its Chakan-based plant for BE 6e and XEV 9e which it aims to further scale up to 1.2 lakh units per year.

Based on the INGLO EV platform, the automaker plans to introduce five electric SUV models under two brands -- XUV and the all-new electric-only brand called BE. Legacy brands will come under XUV brand while the all-new electric models would be rolled out under the BE lineage.