Mahindra BE 6 real world performance compared to rivals

Launched late last year, the BE 6 is arguably the most radical-looking car Mahindra currently sells. It competes with the Hyundai Creta Electric, Tata Curvv EV, and MG ZS EV in the electric midsize SUV segment, which has grown more relevant in recent years. For performance-oriented buyers, though, which of these electric SUVs is best? We put them through our stringent tests to find out.

Mahindra BE 6 vs rivals price and specifications

Only top-spec variants have been considered for this test.

We’ve tested the top-spec battery and motor configurations for these EVs, so all of them have been represented in their most potent guises. To that end, the BE 6 takes the cake (on paper) thanks to its 79kWh, rear-motor setup outputting 286hp and 380Nm – well over 100hp compared to the others. The ZS EV is a distant second, followed by the Creta Electric, and then finally the Curvv EV.

ZS EV price is the lowest, and BaaS enables even bigger savings.

Coming to price, the hierarchy is interesting. The BE 6 is the priciest for its range-topping Pack Three 79kWh variant, with the Creta Electric Excellence LR being the second-most expensive option. Then comes the Curvv EV at just shy of Rs 22 lakh for its Empowered+ A trim, and finally, the ZS EV ranks as the cheapest electric midsize SUV here. Moreover, you can opt for MG’s Battery as a Service (BaaS) program to knock off an additional Rs 5 lakh off the ZS EV’s price tag, making for stellar value.

Mahindra BE 6 vs rivals 0-100kph acceleration test

BE 6 is up to two seconds quicker.

Expectedly, the BE 6 is the quickest to 100kph from rest, dispatching the run in just 7.14 seconds. Interestingly, despite being slightly less powerful than the ZS EV, the Creta Electric is quicker than the MG SUV by 0.38 seconds. The Curvv EV comes last with an 11.15sec 0-100kph time – over two full seconds slower than the BE 6.

Mahindra BE 6 vs rivals rolling acceleration test

All four SUVs hold on to their positions.

In the 20-80kph sprint, the BE 6 yet again emerged victorious, followed by the Creta Electric that edged past the ZS EV by an ever-so-slim margin of 0.09 seconds. Meanwhile, the Curvv EV manages to remain in the sub-5-second range by just 0.08 seconds.

The 40-100kph test tells much of the same story, with the BE 6, Creta Electric, and MG ZS EV taking the top three spots, respectively. There's a full 1sec gap between the ZS EV and BE 6, and the latter is quicker than the Curvv EV by a substantial 1.54 seconds.

Mahindra BE 6 vs rivals braking tests

ZS EV unequivocally wins on this front.

These electric SUVs are equipped with front and rear disc brakes and feature ABS with EBD, so it's a level playing field on paper. In our braking distance tests, though, the ZS EV came out on top, taking 24.38 metres to arrive at a standstill. The BE 6 followed, requiring 2.43 metres more than the ZS EV to fully stop, and the Curvv EV sneaked into third place here thanks to its 27.46m braking distance. Last place goes to the Creta Electric, which took a smidge over 28 metres to come to a halt.

Braking times don't quite fall in the same order, though. While the ZS EV remains in first place, the Creta Electric is the second-quickest SUV here when you want to immediately stop. This is also the only category where the BE 6 comes last, falling behind the Curvv EV by a near-imperceptible margin of 0.02 seconds.

Autocar India’s testing standards

Before we conduct our performance tests, we check and maintain tyre pressure based on the manufacturer’s recommendation and ensure the car is charged to 100 percent. The car is then tested in a controlled environment with two people on board, and the data is collected via highly accurate GPS-based timing equipment.

All prices are ex-showroom, India.