Mahindra Rall-E concept vows to conquer uncharted terrains
Although Rall-E is an off-road-focussed prototype based on the BE.05 electric concept, it is too premature to predict if Mahindra will launch a production version of the former.
Mahindra stole the limelight at the recently concluded EV Fashion Festival in Hyderabad with a plethora of models displayed at the Hitex Exhibition Centre. Among them was the Rall-E concept electric car that garnered huge attention among the crowds.
Rall-E is essentially a jacked-up, off-road-focussed iteration of the BE.05 all-electric concept, which made its global debut at an event in London in August last year. It is part of the Mahindra Born Electric range of battery-powered electric SUVs slated to undergo production from December 2024.
Mahindra Rall-E concept electric SUV
Rall-E concept: What’s new?
Since it is based on the BE.05 concept electric car, Rall-E gets a similar design of a coupe-style crossover but features distinct styling elements of a raid-inspired rally car. For instance, the C-shaped LED daytime running lamps (DRL) in BE.05 have made way for a sleek, single DRL strip connected across the width of the bonnet.
Rall-E gets a totally new face thanks to a chunkier front bumper and perfectly nestled round headlamps, which are most likely borrowed from Mahindra Thar. The bash plate and the metallic tow hook upfront enhance the car’s overall ruggedness. Amplifying its brawny appearance is the side profile, which is heavily cladded, and large 18-inch steel wheels wearing all-terrain tyres with thick side walls.
Mahindra Rall-E highlights
Further, the gloss-black cladding of BE.5 has been replaced with a matte finished cladding, which also receives additional underside protectors despite the raised ground clearance. At the rear, a reprofiled bumper offers better departure angle whereas C-shaped LED taillights in BE.05 make way for a single strip in the lifestyle EV concept.
Sprucing its utilitarian look are accessories such as a roof-mounted metal luggage carrier housing a spare wheel and jerry cans and large auxiliary lights placed outside the carrier. While Mahindra didn’t reveal the interiors of Rall-E’s cabin, it is expected to feature the same layout with some sportier graphics on display, thanks to different upholstery and colour combinations.
BE.05, BE.09 make India debut
Alongside the Rall-E concept, Mahindra also showcased the standard BE.05 and XUV.E9 concepts at the event. This was the first instance where the EV concepts landed on Indian shores after their global debut in London last year. For the uninitiated, Mahindra has five electric SUVs in the pipeline–BE.05, BE.07, BE.09, XUV.E8 and XUV.E9.
BE.05 (above) and XUV.E9 (below) concepts showcased at Mahindra EV Fashion Festival
Mahindra Born Electric SUVs look to set new benchmarks with EVs in India
Both the BE (Born Electric) range and the XUV range of EVs will be underpinned by the INGLO architecture, which has been derived from Volkswagen’s MEB modular electric platform. This skateboard electric toolkit can support both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations and can house battery packs in the range of 60 kWh and 80 kWh, which can offer a range of up to 450 km on a single charge.
(Images courtesy: Twitter/Mahindra Automotive)
Edited by Swetha Kannan