Volkswagen Group to supply Mahindra with electric car parts
Indian automotive giant will use parts from VW Group’s MEB electric car platform
The Volkswagen Group and Indian automotive giant Mahindra and Mahindra have announced a partnership that will see the firms co-operate on their separate electric cars.
Announced yesterday at Mahindra’s new European design base in Banbury, Oxfordshire, the Volkswagen Group is set to supply components from its MEB electric car platform to the Indian firm, which has developed its own EV underpinnings called ‘INGLO’. VW parts will include the electric drivetrain and battery system.
Volkswagen already has a partnership in place with Ford, which will see the MEB platform underpin two electric SUVs from the Blue Oval.
Through the co-operation, the firms are aiming to create more than one million EVs, with Mahindra yesterday revealing five new electric SUVs, all designed at the new UK base as part of its ‘Born Electric’ strategy. The first of these models will go on sale in 2026, with plans to export the cars to continental Europe if demand is there.
Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group board member for technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components, said: “We are happy that we have identified a larger scope of collaboration between our two companies. Together, Volkswagen and Mahindra can contribute significantly to the electrification of India – a huge automotive market with ambitious climate protection commitments.
“The MEB platform and its components are key to affordable sustainable mobility around the globe. The partnership not only demonstrates that our platform business is highly competitive, but also that the MEB is well on track to become one of the leading open platforms for e-mobility.”
The two firms also say they’re working ‘towards a possible strategic alliance’ for India, including developing e-mobility and localised battery cell manufacturing and charging systems for the country.
With three million new cars registered in India every year, it’s one of the five largest global car markets, and electrification is set to gain strong momentum in the coming years.
