The two Mahindra EVs have arrived in the market but beneath the noise along with the hype, which one should you buy? I have driven both albeit for an extremely short time but just about enough to form a distinction between the two. The BE 6 is the more aggressive looking car and the faster of the two along with being the cheaper option. That said, the top-end versions of these two EVs are at the premium end. The most expensive BE 6 is priced at Rs 26.90 lakh while the XEV 9e is priced at Rs 31.50 lakh.

There is a lot of difference between the two even though they are both born electric SUVs. The BE 6 is smaller and the more aggressive looking EV of the duo with its sharper lines. The XEV 9e is a lot bigger and has more physical bulk between the two while having more in terms of size while not being as radical as the BE.

The same story is on the interior with the BE 6 having a much more aggressive looking cabin with a fighter jet cockpit like feel. The edgy detailing is also seen with the centre console and the aircraft like gear lever. The way the seats are designed along with the fabric door pull is also very much different. The XEV 9e is a lot more restrained in comparison and the interior in some way also has a familiar look to the XUV700. Quality is pretty good in both of the cars but the XEV 9e interior has more space and feels airy.

In terms of features both have a long features list which beats even much more expensive cars. 5G built in, OTA updates, dual screens, ADAS, panoramic sunroof with pattern ambient lighting, 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with Dolby Atmos, 360-degree cameras, seven airbags, electric parking brake, Augmented reality HUD and more. There are differences though as the XEV 9e gets a third passenger screen and a larger frunk vs the BE 6.

Both EVs have the same 59 and 79kWh battery pack but the BE 6 being lighter has more presence and also has more range over the heavier XEV 9e. That said, both are fast and have huge range when compared to the other EVs in this price bracket. The XEV 9e 79kwh battery pack for example has a 656km range while the BE 6 79kwh battery pack has a claimed range of 682km. In terms of ride and handling, the BE 6 is more firm but handles better while the larger XEV 9e has a more comfortable ride.

Overall, the BE 6 is the more sportier offering and the styling shows that. The XEV 9e is the car for being chauffeur driven and with need for more space along with the larger size.