Most of the people who know me know that I am a big fan of science fiction. And time travel is a staple of science fiction. Back to the Future, Predestination, Source Code… you know the drill if you are so inclined. Why am I talking about time travel? Because I had an experience lately. And no, I did not see John Titor or build a time machine. I simply drove the new Mahindra BE 6 with the perspective of a Mahindra Thar owner… that’s as much time travel as it is possible today! 

Why do I feel that way? Simply because the Mahindra Thar is as pure ICE as it can get. It has muscle, it has grunt, and it comes alive at the sight of the mirage created by fumes of petrol. It can easily be called a glowing orb of ICE goodness, if I may be so bold. And then… there’s the BE 6. Both of these vehicles are poles apart. I am not someone to scoff at EVs because I am not a stiff and unreasonable petrolhead. 

I have lived for motorcycles for as long as I can remember, and I am an enthusiast. I love ICE motorcycles. Every time I fire one up, it stirs my soul. And yet, I recently got myself an Untraviolette F77 Mach 2 Recon, and I have been loving it. But still, the Mahindra Thar is an icon, and to think that an EV can match its panache is an idea that seemed absurd even to me… and yet… it did. And then some. And I want to talk about it. 

This convolution of present and future starts with the looks. Take a look at the Mahindra Thar. It is not ordinary in any way, but it is conventional, right? Then park a Mahindra BE 6 alongside it, and convention goes for a toss. The BE 6 does not look like anything on the road. The closest thing I could think of is the Urus. But even that particular Italian Bull does not look as radical. And I love it! 

The front end looks smashing, and I am a big fan of the large hood scoop. It is not there just for show either, as it helps channel airflow, improving aero in the process. Then there’s the headlamp buried within the bodywork and flanked by the stunning LED DRLs. Also, since this is no conventional ICE, what’s under the hood is a 45-litre storage space! 

On the side, the flared wheel arches house 19” alloys that look stunning. It is one of the best wheel designs I have seen since the Reventon’s wheels left me stunned. Google Reventon and you’ll know what I am talking about, and also, what I said earlier is high praise. They are also aero efficient, so form and function go hand in hand here. From the side, the BE 6 has a very SUV-coupé-like aesthetic. Some examples could be the BMW X4 and the X6. 

The rear of the car looks brilliant. I am a big fan of the dot-matrix LED light bar that covers the width of the car between the C-shaped LED taillamp. It can display customised text, and that makes me want to be, let’s say, creative with it. I also love the split spoiler on the top of the tailgate, along with a second smaller spoiler on the boot lid. All done in the name of aero… they just happen to enhance the looks of the car. 

Now, step inside the Mahindra Thar, and you see everything you expect, styled conventionally. The BE 6 continues its futuristic and radical theme on the inside as well. The cabin curves around the driver in a manner that gives this car a more driver-centric feel. It houses a squarish steering wheel, a massive screen, fighter jet-like toggle switches and drive selector, rotary knobs and buttons on the centre console, and so on. One of my favourite bits is the unique key fob holder that is magnetic. 

I loved how crisp and slick the two 12.3” screens are. I have come to experience a lot of laggy systems as well with uninspired graphics, but this one is fluid, sharp, and a joy to work with. The Mahindra BE 6 also gets a 360-degree high-resolution parking camera. The coolest bit about it is the fact that the outside camera also works as a dashcam, and the footage can be easily transferred to a storage device on even your smartphone, via the USB port in the glove box. 

After all that, stellar ambient lighting is a given, but you also get 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio, which is simply mindblowing. In terms of space, the boot is 455 litres, but the sloping roofline limits the height of the boot. But then again, this is a compromise most people will be willing to make, considering how stellar it looks. 

I had the Pack Three variant with me, which gets you ventilated front seats, wireless smartphone integration, onboard apps, dual-zone auto climate control, an electronic parking brake, laminated glass that is said to block UV rays, and some more cool stuff. You can check the brochure on Mahindra’s website for more information. 

I have spent a lot of time talking about the state of things when stationary. How about things when the BE 6 is on the move? Well, things are quick, to say the least. The BE 6 is a rear-wheel drive car. It has two battery pack options- 59 kWh (with 228 bhp) and 79 kWh (with 282 bhp). The torque remains the same for both battery pack options at 380 Nm. 

The BE 6 is a very quick car. Mahindra claims a sub-7-second time for 0-100 km/h. While I did not measure it, the claim does seem to check out. There are driving modes- Default, Range, Everyday, Race, and Snow. I obviously kept it in Race mode, no surprises there. The Race Mode delivers acceleration that wakes you up and makes you take notice. Now, a lot of EVs simply shove the torque right from the get-go, but the BE 6 is very progressive in this regard. I feel it was done to make the power delivery more palatable for all sorts of drivers, but I would have liked a little more poke. But that’s me being greedy. 

The regen braking system works in tandem with the disc brakes on both ends to deliver awesome braking performance. There are 4 levels to regen braking, the lowest setting lets the car roll freely, and the highest setting makes things a bit more, say, forceful. The handling is also very impressive. 

The BE 6 gets semi-adaptive dampers that adjust the stiffness based on the mode. Predictably, in Race Mode, things are sportier, but in Everyday Mode, the BE 6 is plush. On most broken roads, it handles itself with composure worthy of praise. The steering and the handling are quite impressive as well. Though I did not go chasing apexes, I am sure that the BE 6 will be more than capable of handling itself when the going gets brisk. 

That is more or less it. I am sure that the photos that you have seen of the BE 6’s exterior and interior so far have left you impressed. Even if not, you have to agree that it commands attention. For the performance, you can take my word for it. The real question is… am I gravitating towards the future or do I stick with the present… well, if you took a look at the cover, you already know the answer! 

And if you are wondering… the Thar is not going anywhere anytime soon.