Mahindra Thar Electric: So, it’s finally happened – Mahindra’s all-electric Thar has been caught red-handed during testing, and honestly, it looks pretty darn close to what they showed us in that South Africa concept.
This electric beast is basically Mahindra saying “hold my chai” to the entire automotive industry. I mean, electrifying the Thar? That’s like putting a turbocharger on your grandmother’s pressure cooker – bold, unexpected, and potentially brilliant. With those patent images that leaked earlier and now these spy shots, the Thar.e is looking more real by the day. Mark your calendars for 2026, folks.
Mahindra Thar Electric Design
Right off the bat, this thing looks nothing like your regular Thar – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Those iconic round headlights? Gone. The Jeep Wrangler vibes? See ya later. Instead, we get these squared-off LED headlamps that somehow still scream “Thar” without actually looking like one.
The front end is where things get really interesting. No more of those old-school bonnet clips that made you feel like you were driving a military vehicle. Now it’s all smooth and modern, with “MAHINDRA” spelled out in massive letters across the front. Subtle? Not really. Cool? Absolutely.
That closed grille might make purists weep a little, but those three rectangular cutouts and the Twin Peaks logo keep things familiar. And yes, there’s “Thar.e” badging because apparently we needed to be reminded this runs on electrons, not petrol.
Here’s the kicker though – this isn’t just a three-door Thar with batteries stuffed in. The production version comes with five doors as standard, making it longer and arguably more practical than its fossil-fuel burning cousin. Those trapezoidal wheel arches house some seriously chunky alloys, and the whole thing still looks like it could climb a mountain without breaking a sweat.
Mahindra Thar Electric Interior
Step inside and you’ll find yourself in familiar yet alien territory. The dashboard is refreshingly simple – no buttons everywhere like some German luxury car. That big touchscreen in the center handles most of your tech needs, while a fully digital cluster replaces those old-school analog gauges.
The steering wheel gets the Thar.e treatment with special badging, and those grab handles are still there because, well, you’re still going to need something to hold onto when things get bumpy.
But here’s where it gets weird in the best possible way – they’ve built in a water hose system that can literally wash the entire interior. I kid you not. Mud from your weekend adventure? Just hose it down. It’s like they finally understood that Thar owners actually use their vehicles for what they’re meant to do.
And get this – A.R. Rahman (yes, that A.R. Rahman) has created 75 different sounds for everything from opening doors to switching drive modes. Because apparently, even your car’s beeps need to be Oscar-worthy now.
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Mahindra Thar Electric Features
The Thar.e isn’t messing around when it comes to capability. Built on the INGLO P1 platform, this thing can stretch its wheelbase anywhere from 2,775mm to 2,975mm depending on what you need. Ground clearance? A proper 300mm – enough to clear most rocks you’ll encounter on your weekend escapades.
Customization is where Mahindra seems to have gone a bit crazy (in a good way). Pretty much every exterior bit can be swapped out – bumpers, roof styles, you name it. It’s like automotive Lego for adults who never grew up.
The dual-motor setup means proper 4WD without all the mechanical complexity of transfer cases and differentials. Just instant torque whenever you need it, whether you’re crawling up a 45-degree incline or just trying to get out of a muddy parking lot after the monsoons.
Mahindra Thar Electric Performance
Under all that rugged styling sits Mahindra’s INGLO platform – basically a skateboard with batteries that they’ve wrapped a Thar around. This setup should give you better weight distribution and a lower center of gravity, which is engineering speak for “it won’t tip over as easily.”
The dual-motor setup puts 80kW up front and 210kW at the back, with torque figures of 135Nm and 535Nm respectively. Those numbers might not mean much to you, but trust me – it’ll pull like a freight train when you need it to.
Battery choices will probably include 60kWh and 80kWh options. The bigger pack should give you around 435-450km of range (WLTP), while the smaller one will still manage about 325km. That’s more than enough for most weekend warriors, unless you’re planning to drive to Ladakh on a single charge.
Mahindra Thar Electric Safety
Mahindra’s keeping mum on specific safety features for now, but the modern INGLO platform should provide a solid foundation for all the usual electronic nannies. The instant response of electric motors might actually make this safer in tricky situations where you need precise throttle control – no more waiting for turbo lag or clutch engagement.
Mahindra Thar Electric Price
Now for the million-rupee question – literally. The Thar.e is expected to start around ₹18-20 lakh, potentially going up to ₹25 lakh for the works. That’s a significant premium over the regular Thar, but then again, you’re getting cutting-edge tech and the bragging rights of owning India’s first proper electric off-roader.
It’s a bold pricing strategy, banking on the fact that Thar enthusiasts are willing to pay extra for something genuinely different. Given how people queue up to buy regular Thars, they might just pull this off.
With a 2026 launch still some time away, Mahindra has plenty of runway to fine-tune everything and build up the hype. These spy shots prove one thing though – the electric Thar isn’t just a concept car pipe dream anymore. It’s coming, and it looks properly sorted.