World EV Day Special: How Brands Are Reinventing Themselves With Electric Vehicles

The automotive industry is on the verge of a transformation with the impending transition into an all-electric future. Almost all car brands on the planet either have an EV offering in the pipeline or have already started venturing into new waters with an EV product. This is huge for the brands as they need to go through a drastic change to accommodate various aspects with respect to EVs. 

It is not too often that carmakers update their logo to stay up to date with the changing trends. An increasing number of brands are also revamping their logos to make them go with the digital setting. Not too long ago, Volkswagen and Skoda redesigned their logos and went with a 2D appearance instead of the conventional 3D look. But with the sudden onslaught of EVs, car manufacturers are introducing not only new models but sub-brands with a thoroughly redesigned identity, design language, and vision along with a new logo to complete the makeover. These sub-brands give us a glimpse of the future while differentiating the dedicated EVs from the normal models.  

• Skoda’s Upcoming Concept Vision 7S EV Teased Ahead Of Global Debut

For instance, until a complete switchover to EVs happens, various brands need to simultaneously develop and produce conventional ICE-engined cars along with EVs. And for a clear differentiation between the two, some brands have reinvented themselves or created new sub-brands solely for EVs. 

Mahindra’s Born Electric or BE and XUV.e 

Born Electric, BE, is an all-new sub-brand of ground-up electric SUVs from Mahindra whereas XUV.e is a brand for EVs that are based on ICE-powered SUVs. The BE brand was first teased in early 2022 consisting of three SUVs. A design and R&D unit was showcased in the UK on August 15, 2022, and all three upcoming SUVs are built up from an all-new dedicated EV platform called INGLO. The new skateboard chassis will use VW’s MEB modular electric toolkit like batteries and motors. The chassis will spawn AWD and RWD SUVs with two battery packs 60 and 80kWh. 

• Mahindra Reveals New XUV e8 And e9 Alongside Born Electric Range Of SUVs

• Mahindra XUV700-based e8 Electric SUV Detailed In 10 Images

So in total, there are five SUVs in the pipeline from Mahindra – two SUVs under the XUV.e brand and three SUVs under the BE sub-brands. The first offering from XUV.e, the XU700-based e8, is set for a December 2024 launch. The XUV.e sub-brand is differentiated by Mahindra’s new twin peaks copper-coloured logo while the BE brand features an exclusive BE logo.

Tata Avinya

Shortly after the Curvv all-electric SUV, Tata got busy with the Avinya crossover which is actually a glimpse into the brand’s future and third-generation electric vehicles with no ICE alternative. Tata is already ahead of the EV game with the Nexon EV in India. But the brand plans to take it up further with the Avinya. Slated for arrival in 2025, the Avinya is an MPV with a sleek design.

Importantly, the Avinya sports an interesting detail in the form of a new and long Tata logo, which is believed to be something that will be used to represent ground-up EVs from Tata. Tata might also bring all the upcoming dedicated EVs under a new brand with the new logo, similar to what Mahindra and other brands are doing. Other talking points of the Avinya show car include butterfly doors, a steering wheel with a display, and an all-electric powertrain which is touted to provide a range of 500km. 

Mercedes-Benz EQ Lineup

Mercedes’ all-electric mobility comes under the EQ umbrella which consists of many models such as EQS, EQC, and EQB, among others. The EQ sub-brand first debuted in 2016 at the Paris Motor Show with the EQ concept vehicle while the 2018 EQC is the first production model. Mercedes has a distinct styling for the EQ models but each and every model is unmistakably Mercedes while also packing in a design language that represents the future. Moreover, if performance is what you’re looking for, AMG models such as the recently launched EQS 53 4Matic+ EV will fit the bill.

• Mercedes-Benz EQS First Look

BMW’s i Division

BMW jumped in on the EV bandwagon much earlier than its German counterparts with the i range of EVs. The i8 and the i3 kicked things off more than a decade ago and it was followed by the ix3 and currently the i4 and iX. The i4 sedan was recently launched in India with a sticker price tag of Rs 69.9 lakh (ex-showroom, India). Providing a WLTP range of 590 km, the sedan develops 340PS paired with an 80.3kWh battery pack. In true BMW fashion, the i range of cars also carries forward the German brand’s focus on exciting cars to drive. 

• BMW i4 Scores Four Out Of Five Stars In Euro NCAP Crash Tests

Audi e-tron

e-tron is Audi’s answer to Mercedes’ EQ and BMW’s i division. The e-tron moniker debuted with some hybrid models initially, but it was the all-electric e-tron SUV that established the sub-brand for Audi. Notable models from the e-tron lineup include e-tron Sportback, Taycan-based e-tron GT sedan, Q4 e-tron, and various other models. The Audi RS e-tron GT sedan is the range-topping model from the tron lineup that is available in India. The sedan will set you back by Rs 1.89 crore (ex-showroom) and provides a WLTP claimed range of 481km thanks to a 93.4 kWh battery pack that also helps in producing a strong 646PS/830Nm from two electric motors. 

Hyundai Group: Hyundai IONIQ and Kia EV

The nameplate IONIQ first appeared with the original IONIQ liftback sedan back in 2016. And EV to Kia is what IONIQ is to Hyundai. Although Hyundai and Kia have many EVs in their lineup. The IONIQ and EV nameplate is reserved for standalone EVs with no ICE counterparts or EVs built up from the ground. The IONIQ model range has grown in the past with models like the IONIQ 5 and the IONIQ 6. The former is a neo-retro hatchback with a design language that harks back to the past. All set for a launch in India in the near future, the hatchback is expected to be priced around Rs 60 lakh. 

• Hyundai Ioniq 6 Electric Sedan Makes Global Debut; India Launch Likely By 2023

Meanwhile, Kia has just one model in the EV lineup: the EV6. The EV6 was launched in India in 2022 at Rs 59.96 lakh as a CBU. It is available in AWD/RWD formats capable of a max range of 528km. The crossover seems to have obtained a good reception in India as Kia garnered 355 bookings in a short while, way past their initial allocation of 100 units. The EV6 is expected to be joined by the EV9 –  a large and boxy 7-seater flagship SUV.

• Kia EV6 First Drive | Well Rounded Electric Power

Volkswagen ID Series 

ID3 kickstarted Volkswagen’s foray into ground-up all-electric vehicles. All models under the ID moniker are based on various concepts with no ICE alternatives. The lineup currently includes ID.4, ID.5, and various other models including the ID. Buzz, an all-electric minivan. Although Volkswagen showcased ID models in India at the 2020 Auto Expo, the brand is yet to officially launch any of the models while the testing is underway. But with the increasing number of EVs coming to India from multiple brands, VW will soon follow suit and offer some models in the distant future.