Mahindra is likely to phase out the brand’s smallest SUV, the Mahindra KUV100 NXT, from the Indian market. The brand could be taking the decision amidst plummeting sales figures from the small SUV, which thinned down to just 1 unit sold in March 2021.
The brand sold 11 units in January, four units in February, 1 unit in March and five units in April before the 2nd wave hit the country. In January 2021-April 2021 (Year-to-Date), Mahindra sold a total number of 21 units on the KUV100. To put things into perspective, in the same period, Ford sold 3,564 units of the Freestyle. Maruti Suzuki also sold 16,075 units on the Ignis between January 2021 and April 2021.
The Mahindra KUV100 NXT comes with a starting price tag of INR 6.02 lakh ex-showroom, Mumbai. The KUX100 NXT comes in a petrol-only avatar, and the engine is also upgraded to BS6 emission standards. Mahindra offers the KUV100 NXT in four variants – K2+, K4+, K6+ and K8. Powering the KUV100 NXT is a mFalcon G80 series BS6 compliant 1.2-litre petrol engine. The multipoint fuel injection engine with dual variable valve timing pumps out 80 Hp of power and 115 Nm of torque. The engine features a front-wheel-drive architecture and a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Mahindra, at the 2020 Auto Expo in Delhi, showcased the eKUV100, which is a fully electric micro-SUV. The eKUV100 is based on the KUV100 NXT platform but electric motor and battery pack. The brand at the biennial event revealed that the eKUV100 will feature a 40kW (54.4hp) of power and 120 Nm of torque electric motor. This motor will draw power from a 15.9 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery and deliver a range of around 150 km on a single charge.
The eKUV100 is likely to come at the INR 8 lakh mark. At this price the electric vehicle will be just INR 32,000 (approx.) dearer that the petrol-powered KUV100 NXT in its top-spec K8 trim. The price will also make the eKUV100 the most affordable electric vehicle in India. But due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the market launch is likely to have postponed to 2022.
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