Mahindra to source Ford’s vehicle platform to build an electric sedan - Report

10/10/2017 - 15:04 Mahindra eVerito, Mahindra Sagar Parikh

The Mahindra Group and Ford Motor Company entered an agreement to cooperate in areas like connected vehicles projects, product development, electrification and more. In the latest, a report from Mint says that Mahindra is in early talks with Ford to procure a vehicle platform on which it aims to build an all-new electric sedan.

Mahindra e-Verito front three quarter right at Auto Expo 2016 — Mahindra inspected the platform it wants to source from Ford when it joined hands with the company last month. Mahindra eVerito pictured.

The development was revealed to the business publication by two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. One of the sources, on the condition of anonymity, said: “Pawan Goenka, along with his colleagues at Mahindra Electric, has inspected the platform while signing off on a partnership with Ford in September.” No details about the future electric sedan are available yet, perhaps it is a replacement for the Mahindra eVerito that is basically a 13 year-old first-gen Dacia Logan.

Ford also has to gain something if the deal works out. The Blue Oval, in exchange for its platform, will gain access to Mahindra’s low-cost EV technologies. It plans to use these technologies in its entry-level cars such as the Ford Figo and Ford Aspire.

The second source said that both the companies have started working on forming teams, which will work closely in the areas of potential cooperation. These, along with those aforementioned, also include connected vehicle projects, sourcing and commercial efficiencies and improving Ford’s reach in India and Mahindra’s reach in the global markets. Teams from Ford and Mahindra will collaborate and work together for a period of up to three years. Both companies will decide plans for any strategic cooperation at the end of this period.

Mahindra e-Verito rear three quarter left at Auto Expo 2016 — Mahindra has four EVs currently: Mahindra e2oPlus, Mahindra eVerito, Mahindra eSupro and Mahindra e-Alfa mini.

Also Read: Mahindra KUV100 NXT launched in India, priced from INR 4.39 lakh

Mahindra is in talks with the Karnataka government for further investments in the states to expand capacity of Mahindra Electric. The company wants to double its EV division's annual production capacity to 60,000 units. The company’s EV portfolio comprises four models: Mahindra e2oPlus, Mahindra eVerito, Mahindra eSupro and Mahindra e-Alfa mini. It recently won a bid to supply 500 EVs to EESL. It will deliver 150 units (of the Mahindra eVerito) in the first phase this November.

[Source: Mint]