Anand Mahindra couldn't contain his glee.
"When I began my career in the auto industry," he said triumphantly, "it was our Indian delegations that would make the pilgrimage to international auto shows to photograph and study the advanced cars made overseas."
Then came the mic-drop moment: "At the recent Bharat Mobility Show in Delhi, you can imagine my emotions seeing Japanese and Korean visitors poring over our new electric origin SUVs."
And it's not just international visitors taking notice—Indian buyers have also taken note.
Mahindra's two upcoming Electric Vehicles (EVs), the Mahindra BE 6 and XEV 9e, have already taken the market by storm, racking up a jaw-dropping 30,000 bookings in a single day.
Mahindra XEV 9e
Autocar editor Hormazd Sorabjee summed it up: "Mahindra's new EVs have completely upended the entire EV market. Last year, the entire EV segment sold just 100,000 cars across all brands."
The new BE 6 packs a more powerful battery than any other Indian mid-market vehicle. "This could be a huge game-changer. No other EV offers this much range and performance," says Sorabjee.
Mahindra may be leading the charge, but many others are driving up behind him. Maruti Suzuki, India's auto behemoth, is shifting into high gear, and will launch the much anticipated E-Vitara SUV by May.
Maruti Suzuki E-Vitara SUV
Chinese giant BYD is making waves with its plans for a new factory in Telangana and its global announcement: five-minute charging technology. If this tech capable of adding nearly 400 kilometres of range in just five minutes delivers as promised, it could erase the single biggest fear holding back EV adoption—range anxiety.
BYD already has four models on Indian roads, with its cheapest Atto priced at Rs 24 lakh, while the ultra-luxury BYD Sealion pushes Rs 50 lakh.
BYD Atto 3
When will the five-minute charging models hit India? That's the billion-rupee question.
Other challengers are revving up fast. The Hyundai Creta and Kia Carens, each boasting 42 kWh and 51 kWh battery options, speeding up on the highway.
Hyundai's Ioniq 5 starts at Rs 40 lakh. And then there's Vietnam's VinFast, which is setting up a factory in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, aiming to put its VF7 on Indian roads this year and turn the state into a major export hub.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
At a slightly lower price the MG Windsor is a bestseller amongst EVs.
And what about Tesla? The world's most iconic EV brand remains the biggest question mark. Will Elon Musk finally strike a deal to bring Tesla to India?
If he does, expect prices in the Rs 30-40 lakh range. But will he be able to keep prices low enough or will Tesla end up in the luxury segment?
Even if Tesla captures a 10-20 percent share of India's EV segment by 2030, this would translate to only a 2-5 percent slice of the overall passenger vehicle market, minimising disruption to local players and allowing Indian manufacturers to keep steering the EV market, analysts add.
Tata Motors, India's homegrown auto powerhouse, is already a dominant force in the lower-cost EV segment but is now muscling into the premium game. The Harrier EV is expected to launch at around Rs 30 lakh, while the much-awaited Sierra EV is coming later this year or in early 2026.
Sierra EV
While India's EV adoption is accelerating, it still has some ground to cover compared to global leaders.
Norway, the undisputed EV champion, saw a staggering 82 per cent of all car sales in 2023 coming from EVs. China, the world's largest EV market, sold over 6 million electric cars last year, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of total car sales. Even the United States, despite its love affair with gasoline-powered vehicles, saw EVs reach 7.6 per cent of total car sales in 2023.
India lags far behind with EVs making up just 2 per cent of passenger vehicle sales.
But the tide could be turning.
The Indian government's aggressive push for electrification, combined with rapidly improving charging infrastructure, could see that number soar to 10 per cent by 2030.
Europe provides an interesting contrast. While countries like Germany and the UK have embraced EVs at a fast clip, high energy prices and subsidy rollbacks have slowed momentum.
In India lower electricity costs and government incentives could make EVs even more attractive over time.
While Europe and China are seeing strong sales in both budget-friendly and high-end EVs, India's market is tilting toward the premium segment. With Tata and Mahindra pushing bigger, longer-range EVs, India's auto sector seems to be taking a 'go big or go home' approach.
India was once a small-car market, but its automakers are now shifting gears, with almost all new EVs aimed at the upper end of the market.
M&M's BE 6 is likely to arrive in showrooms with a price tag between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 25 lakh. M&M's XEV 9e will start at Rs 21 lakh for its entry-level Pack 1 model, while the top-end Pack 3 model will be significantly pricier at around Rs 30 lakh.
Other SUVs set to hit Indian roads are also expected to fall within this price range.
What's driving India's automakers toward bigger and more powerful EVs?
After all, smaller, lower-priced EVs have struggled to gain traction. Will the Indian buyer who hesitated to spend Rs 12 lakh to Rs 14 lakh on an EV be willing to shell out Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh for larger SUVs?
The answer? Bigger, more powerful batteries, longer range, and a belief that well-heeled buyers are ready to take the plunge. South Indian buyers, in particular, seem keen to plug into the EV revolution.
Larger batteries are the game-changer here. The bigger EVs now coming into showrooms have one huge advantage over smaller models: greater range, making them a far more attractive proposition.
The Mahindra BE 6e's top-end model features a 79 kWh battery—almost twice the size of the batteries in smaller EVs. The top-end BE 6e boasts an ARAI-certified (Automobile Research Association of India) range of 682 km, though real-world conditions may yield lower numbers. The 59 kWh model has an ARAI-certified range of 567 km.
The top-end Mahindra XEV 9e features a 79 kWh battery with a claimed range of 656 km. Its high-end variant (the Pack 4 model is priced at slightly over Rs 30 lakh).
Now, long road trips are a realistic prospect. Such extended ranges make city-to-city travel far more feasible.
The distance between Delhi and Jaipur is 296 km, while Chennai to Bangalore spans 324 km – no more worrying about finding a charging station mid-journey.
And with a 149 kW DC charger, Mahindra says the BE 6e can go from 20 per cent to 80 per cent charge in just 20 minutes. Automakers say they aren’t ignoring the smaller EV market, but, as one industry expert puts it, “nearly everyone is taking a top-down approach.”
Maruti is expected to have around five EVs on the road by 2030, while Hyundai will introduce three more in addition to its existing two. “These will obviously be in different segments,” says an industry expert.
But will EVs sell in big numbers if charging stations remain scarce?
Infrastructure is rapidly catching up. The Indian government is pumping Rs 2,000 crore into public charging stations, aiming to double the current 32,000 chargers to 72,000 within a year.
Even automakers are stepping in. Tata Power has 5,500 chargers, and Charge Zone has 2,700 across India. Hyundai is setting up 600 chargers, each with 2-3 guns, and Maruti plans a vast charging network by 2030. Tamil Nadu alone will see 100 new Hyundai chargers.
Hindustan Petroleum (HP) is adding EV charging points to its existing petrol stations in India’s nine largest cities. It is doing so by setting up its own charging stations and partnering with leading firms such as Tata Power, Hero Power, Ola Electric, and Ather Energy. HP operates over 20,000 petrol stations across India.
An industry insider puts it into perspective: “Today, India has more EV chargers than CNG filling stations. But, of course, it’s not like having a petrol pump on every corner.”
The big wildcard? If BYD’s five-minute charging tech lives up to its promise – or if rivals develop similar breakthroughs – the great range anxiety nightmare could finally be over, paving the way for the long-anticipated EV revolution in India.