Formula E Hyderabad e-Prix: Mahindra XUV400 Formula E Edition Unveiled in India

Formula E Hyderabad e-Prix: The world's first all-electric street racing series, the Formula E Championship, is currently in its ninth season. On February 11, the Telangana state government and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) will jointly host the fourth race of the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The time is ideal for Formula E to arrive in India because local automakers are pushing for green mobility. A total of 11 teams with 22 electric race cars will compete in the event on a 2.8-km-long Hyderabad street circuit. Mahindra recently unveiled the Mahindra XUV400 EV Formula Edition and the launch of its Gen3 Formula E race car at a major event. The Mahindra Formula E and Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (M.A.D.E.) teams worked together on the Gen3 car's livery. The special edition XUV400 receives some cosmetic upgrades, thanks to the distinctive livery modelled after the company's Formula E car. In addition to copper and red exterior accents, the distinctive electric SUV has a Mahindra Racing insignia on the seat headrests.

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The team includes seasoned and accomplished drivers, including Lucas Di Grassi, who won the Macau Grand Prix in 2005 and was named the FIA Formula E Champion in 2016-2017. Di Grassi also finished on the podium three times overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Oliver Rowland is another well-known and admired single-seater racing champion and Formula E race victor. As notified by a press release, the 29-year-old British driver joined the Mahindra Racing team for Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Jehan Daruvala, a young and accomplished racer, who was chosen as one of three winners of the Force India F1 team's ‘One in a Billion hunt’ in 2011, has also recently joined Mahindra Racing as the reserve driver.

The Mahindra XUV400 will be available with either a 34.5kWh battery pack, which provides a driving range of 375km on a single charge, or a larger 39.4kWh unit, which provides a driving range of 456km. Both models share a front-mounted electric motor with a maximum output of 310Nm of torque and 148bhp of power. The XUV400 currently costs between Rs 15.99 lakh and Rs 18.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

Commenting on the occasion, Dr Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra Group, said, ‘For us at Mahindra, this is a momentous occasion, as we get to race in front of a home crowd for the very first time. Mahindra Racing signifies our commitment to continue developing cutting-edge EV technologies and improving the next generation of consumer electric vehicles in the country. It is an important marker in our sustainability charter, and we pledge to greater ROCE (Return on Climate and Environment), as we direct our efforts in tandem with Mahindra Group’s commitment and quest to achieve group-wide carbon neutrality by 2040.’

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Asha Kharga, Chairperson, Mahindra Racing, remarked, ‘As one of the founding teams of Formula E and after racing across the world, this is a proud moment for Mahindra Racing, as we come home to India for the first time. This race will help build Formula E as one of the premier sports in the country. More importantly, it outlines the kind of possibilities in race technology that can potentially inspire our road cars. I would like to thank all our partners and associates who help us compete in this electrifying sport. We have had a great start to this season with a podium in Mexico, and we are very excited about the upcoming race on February 11.’