BE 6

What is it?

The Mahindra BE 6 is an example of what a modern electric car should be when it is designed from the ground up. It uses Mahindra's INGLO platform, which can accommodate battery packs ranging from 60kWh to 80kWh. The best part is that these batteries can be charged at a maximum charging speed of 175kW. In simple English, it means the batteries can be charged from 0-80% in just 30 minutes, giving the vehicle a real-world range of approximately 400km.

Who Should Buy the Mahindra BE 6?

The short answer is: driving enthusiasts.

The BE 6 is not your typical family runabout, at least not as the primary vehicle in the household. The vehicle's sharp, aggressive styling is backed by serious numbers: a rear-wheel-drive setup delivering 282PS and 380Nm of torque. Clocking 0-100km/h in just 6.7 seconds, this vehicle offers serious performance without breaking the bank.

While the Indian market has fast cars like the Skoda Octavia RS, an on-road price tag nearing Rs 62 lakh often makes such performance unattainable for many. Furthermore, if you are looking for a rear-wheel-drive platform, you would typically need to shell out approximately Rs 72 lakh for a BMW 330i.

Ultimately, if you are a driver who enjoys driving and appreciates the ability to clear speed breakers while carrying a full load of passengers and luggage, then the BE 6 is your everyday performance car.

How Practical Are the Mahindra BE 6's Interiors?

Since this vehicle is built on a born-electric architecture, the wheels have been pushed to the extreme corners to minimise overhangs and maximise the wheelbase. To put that into perspective, the BE 6 actually has a wheelbase that is 1.34 inches longer than a Tata Safari, despite being nearly a foot shorter in overall length.

The doors open wide for easier ingress and egress, but front passengers have to mind their heads while getting into the car. Initially, I bumped my head two or three times while entering the car. Blame it on the sharply angled windscreen, which gives the SUV a futuristic, sporty look but does hinder functionality.

Once inside, the cabin is spacious, with enough knee, shoulder and headroom in the front and back for average-sized adults. People even a little over 6 feet tall will find the BE 6 cabin spacious. What does feel a bit odd, especially if you are used to ICE vehicles, is the higher floorboard, under which the batteries are placed. The floorboard, along with the seating position, does not give passengers enough under-thigh support, especially in the rear. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's something you will notice during longer journeys.

Apart from these niggles, the Mahindra BE 6 can comfortably seat five adults, and with a boot capacity of 445 litres and a 45-litre frunk, you have more than enough space for long journeys or moving guests back and forth from the airport. Yes, the Tata Curvv.ev is the segment leader and offers 500 litres of boot space, but it does lack a frunk. And a frunk is useful for keeping small bags or your charging cable.

How Good Is the Mahindra BE 6 Infotainment?

Like most EVs today, the BE 6's infotainment system looks good and fits in perfectly with the overall jet-fighter cockpit design of the dashboard. The Snapdragon chipset makes sure the touch response feels crisp and is not laggy. While Mahindra has crammed all the features into this fancy-looking screen, I do wish there were some simple physical buttons for the AC and audio controls.

The last thing you want to do is go into the menu and submenu just to adjust the AC temperature. Yes, there is a button next to the rotary dial for adjusting fan speed, and the front-seat ventilation can be activated via a button next to the seat. I really wish Mahindra had taken a more conventional approach here.

The infotainment supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, so moving between music and maps becomes a tad easier. But if you have to change any car-related setting, you will have to jump back to Mahindra's MAIA OS and then tinker.

Battery & Range

The 79kWh battery pack offers a claimed range of 510km, according to Mahindra, which should be good for your daily and outstation commutes. Driving around the city, the range was close to what was claimed by the company. We maintained Level 2 regenerative braking while utilising the single-pedal drive functionality, which engages automatic deceleration as soon as the driver's foot leaves the accelerator.

Typical city driving consisted mostly of bumper-to-bumper traffic. We drove around 80km during the day and ended up charging the SUV once every five days. 

On the open highway, without being particularly light-footed, the BE 6 delivered a range of 490km. We maintained Level 2 regenerative braking while cruising at speeds between 90km/h and 120km/h. Despite the scorching 38-degree ambient temperatures and the air conditioning working overtime, the battery performance remained consistent.

So, planning a weekend trip within a 400km radius of most metropolitan cities in India shouldn't be a problem for most users.

Is the Mahindra BE 6 Fun to Drive?

Now, coming to the actual question—and the reason you are reading this article—yes, the BE 6's performance matches its sporty looks. Performance is electrifying, to say the least, and one thing I truly appreciate about the car is how easy it is to drive every day.

There are a few quirks that might take some getting used to, like the steering wheel design. As we mentioned, this car is not built for the masses, and enthusiasts will absolutely love it.

The steering feels engaging at higher speeds and weighs up nicely. It gains weight as you turn into a corner, while the rear wheels push the car ahead rather than pull it through. Yes, it's a lot of fun to drive a rear-wheel-drive car into a corner, but it can get a little tricky when the rear steps out slightly. Luckily, the traction control quickly kicks in and corrects the car's trajectory before things get out of hand. I actually enjoyed this because every time the rear stepped out just a little before the electronics reeled it back in, it made me giggle like a kid.

While the steering feels communicative and nicely weighted when driving quickly around corners, it feels much lighter around a parking lot or a tight city lane and requires very little effort. It's a nice balance between everyday usability and spirited driving..

Like all EVs, the BE 6 is equipped with three driving modes to suit your driving style. The default is Range Mode (Eco). As the name suggests, this is a mode you will seldom use, as the benefits are marginal, and you don't buy a sporty vehicle to save on range. Yes, it's sedate enough to not spring up any nasty acceleration surges, which is a good thing for first-time EV drivers.

If you really want to enjoy the 282PS the BE 6 has to offer, then Everyday Mode is by far the most usable mode once you get used to it. Acceleration is brisk, and especially on the highway, overtaking requires no planning. Just press the accelerator, and the car bolts ahead. No engine rumble, no rev build-up, just 380Nm of torque pushing you forward at the tap of the throttle. What makes this mode impressive is its usability. You can drive normally in city traffic, but when you see an empty stretch of road, the BE 6 puts a big smile on your face.

Driving through winding roads, the BE 6 holds its line well. The adaptive suspension firms up quickly in fast corners and keeps body roll in check. On daily commutes, it softens up to soak up most bumps and speed breakers the city can throw at it.

Some enthusiasts, and yes, I'm talking about those who have spent countless hours playing Gran Turismo might like to tinker with the suspension and steering settings themselves. But I personally prefer the preset modes, as I don't have to stop the car and go through submenus just to change one setting. 

If Everyday Mode starts feeling a bit too ordinary, there's Race Mode for quick thrills. Like Range Mode, this mode will only be used occasionally, or when you want to show your friends how a 2.3-tonne SUV sprints to 100km/h, seemingly defying the laws of physics. Apart from those short bursts of power, Race Mode has limited real-world use.

Something that will be used even more rarely is Boost Mode, which is like a shot in the arm when you want to pull off quick overtaking manoeuvres in Range or Everyday Mode. Though we tried this feature, its use case feels limited, as Everyday Mode already has enough power in reserve for quick overtakes.

BE 6 Safety & ADAS Features

The Mahindra BE 6 comes equipped with a host of safety features, including seven airbags and ISOFIX child-seat mounts, both of which are pretty standard on vehicles sold in this segment. The ADAS camera also doubles up as a dashcam, which is an added benefit in a country like ours.

Speaking of the cameras, they are quite important for parking, as all-round visibility is limited. Having multiple camera views, including a 3D view, makes parking in tight spaces much easier.

On the open highway, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist are major advantages, as they alert the driver if the system detects that the car is drifting from its lane. Hill Hold Assist is another useful feature, as it holds the car in position at a stoplight or when starting on an incline. These were some of the features I used extensively, and most drivers will surely benefit from them.

Apart from this, the geofencing and tracking feature also makes sure that the owner is always aware of the car's location.

Should I Buy One?

It is surprising that, in India, where manufacturers are obsessed with market share and sales numbers, an SUV maker has built a car with enthusiasts in mind. It's even more surprising that the manufacturer is Mahindra, a brand better known for its rugged SUVs and commercial vehicles.

Bringing the BE 6 to production is quite a gamble for such a small audience, but this is far from a half-hearted effort. The edgy styling is a real head-turner in a sea of soft-shaped, boring-looking family haulers crowding our streets. The drive is engaging, and the rear-wheel-drive setup means you'll always have exciting stories to share with your friends after a spirited drive. Not to mention, all this comes at a price point that remains surprisingly accessible. Mahindra has clearly gone all-in on tech and safety for the BE lineup, and that effort is evident.

While there are some minor annoyances—like the lack of physical buttons, which forces you to navigate multiple submenus, or the limited rear visibility caused by the chunky C-pillar and wide rear wheel arches—these are small trade-offs.

Oh, and those bumps on the head when you absent-mindedly get into the driver's or front passenger's seat. You'll probably have one or two of those before you learn.

But that's a small price to pay for a vehicle designed to do one thing perfectly: put a smile on your face every time you hit the road. On that front, the BE 6 absolutely delivers on its promise.