By T Murrali
Less than a year ago, Mahindra took a bold step with its INGLO platform, a ground-up effort to reset the rules of electric mobility. INGLO was more than just a platform – it was a promise of cutting-edge technology, blending European precision with Chinese advancements, and it quickly set new benchmarks in the EV space.
Now, as the company looks ahead to FY27, it is readying its next big leap. At the core of this vision is an all-new flexible vehicle architecture called NU_IQ. Unlike traditional platforms tied to one fuel type, NU_IQ has been engineered to powered by Electric, Internal Combustion, and even Hybrid powertrains with equal ease.
Showcasing its intent, the vehicle maker recently unveiled four concept vehicles – Vision.S, Vision.T, Vision.SXT and Vision.X – each built on the NU_IQ platform, signalling a wave of product expansion designed to meet the future of mobility head-on.
For Mahindra, this unique platform is more than just a new piece of engineering – it is a statement of intent. As Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD of Mahindra, explains, NU_IQ represents a bold shift in both design and technology, laying the foundation for the company’s next generation of SUVs. What makes it special is its dual promise: built in India, yet crafted for the world. With this platform, the company wants to do more than serve its home market; it wants to disrupt global markets, push deeper into international arenas, and offer SUVs that balance rugged Indian DNA with world-class innovation.
Mahindra’s Fungible Future
Rajesh Jejurikar, CEO and Executive Director for Auto and Farm sectors at Mahindra & Mahindra, calls NU_IQ a “fungible” platform – one that can effortlessly shift between petrol, diesel, and battery-electric models without the need for separate production lines. This flexibility means the OEM can quickly adapt to changing market demands, a crucial edge in today’s fast-moving mobility world. Guiding this journey are five clear pillars: bold, head-turning design; spirited performance with power always on tap; world-class safety; future-ready technology available today; and a tough yet sophisticated character.
for Auto and Farm sectors, M&M
These principles are not just engineering goals – they shape the company’s identity and help the brand strike an emotional chord with customers. Looking ahead to ‘Vision 2027,’ Jejurikar believes that there is still plenty of room for growth, both in India and global markets. By identifying white spaces in the SUV segment and preparing a new generation of global SUVs, Mahindra is setting the stage for its next wave of success.
Unlocking White Spaces
For Mahindra, the road ahead is all about staying true to its core — SUVs. Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of the Automotive Division, explains that the company defines this segment as “true SUVs,” excluding MPVs and hatchback-based crossovers. It’s a smart bet as SUVs have been growing twice as fast as the overall passenger vehicle market in India, while Mahindra’s own SUV portfolio has been expanding three times faster than the industry. Yet, SUVs still make up only about 30% of the market, leaving 70% as untapped space. To Gollagunta, that looks like a massive opportunity both at home and abroad. The four new models under development, once launched, are expected to boost the vehicle manufacturer’s market share from 30% to nearly 50%.
The strategy is simple but disruptive — bring premium features into mainstream SUVs, and replicate that playbook globally in markets where 95% of buyers still don’t have access to such features. The first phase of expansion will be anchored at the OEM’s Chakan plant, where capacity will rise by 240,000 units, taking the company’s total to around 7.5–7.6 lakh units across facilities. Some commercial vehicle lines will be shifted to free up space, while greenfield sites are also being explored for post-2027 growth. To fund this ambitious cycle between FY25 and FY27, the company has lined up investments of ₹ 27,000 crore — with ₹ 12,000 crore earmarked for EVs, ₹ 8,000 crore for ICE models, and the rest for other initiatives.
Powertrain / Platform Strategy
Mahindra has kept its powertrain strategy flexible. Right now, there are no immediate plans for hybrids, but the company is open to introducing them if customer demand arises. For now, the focus is on petrol and diesel, with new smaller diesel engines under development. All engines are already compliant with E20 ethanol-blend fuel, and the company is prepared to adapt quickly if flex-fuel regulations come into play.
R Velusamy, President – Automotive Business (Designate), Mahindra & Mahindra, and Managing Director, Mahindra Electric Automobile, addresses the NU_IQ platform “a strategic blueprint for the future of Mahindra SUVs globally.” Its modular architecture allows engineers to innovate while staying true to the brand’s heritage of tough, capable, and desirable SUVs.
Designing a platform that could support both ICE and EV powertrains was no easy task. As Velusamy explains, one size doesn’t fit all. Larger SUVs, above 4.7 metres and nearly two tonnes, demanded rear-wheel drive layouts with motors, cooling systems, and wiring neatly packaged at the back. Compact SUVs, around 4.3 metres and 1.5 tonnes, had a different logic. Here, front-wheel drive proved more effective, improving performance without bulky rear-mounted motors. This realisation sparked a breakthrough: while big SUVs would still need separate ICE and EV platforms, compact SUVs could share a common multi-energy design, he said.
To make this work, the engineers stretched the wheelbase to 2,665 mm, creating room for a flat floor and a practical-sized battery pack. By carefully shaping the bonnet, ground clearance, and passenger space, they designed a structure that could carry either an engine or an electric motor without compromise. The raised floor gave the second row a 940 mm of legroom, solving a common weakness of compact SUVs. The goal was clear — to make the cabin feel more like business class than economy, he says.
Velusamy recalled a childhood memory that inspired this thinking — the feeling of seeing the world from a “bird’s eye view” while sitting on his grandfather’s shoulders. That sense of confidence translated into the SUV’s seating position, set at 1,563 mm, which perfectly matches the average Indian height. The extended wheelbase balanced safety, cabin space, and luggage capacity, while the flat floor eliminated the transmission tunnel, opening up even more room.
This design, however, came with challenges. A longer wheelbase, higher floor, and heavy battery could raise the centre of gravity, risking comfort and handling. To overcome this, the company introduced advanced suspension engineering, including the world’s first five-link system in a compact SUV — a setup usually reserved for premium cars. Co-developed over three years with suppliers, it works with specially developed ‘Da Vinci’ dampers to keep the SUV stable, responsive, and plush, even on the toughest Indian roads.
Innovation went deeper still. Mahindra filed over 110 patents for breakthroughs such as asymmetrical ribs for crash safety, a new veneering concept to stiffen side structures, and an EV-ready design that shields the battery without compromising strength. Practicality was also a focus. With a 28-degree approach and ramp-over angle, the SUV clears speed breakers and rough patches with ease. Despite the longer wheelbase, a turning circle of just 10.5 metres makes it more agile than many rivals. Lightweight engineering also gave it the lowest weight-to-volume ratio in its class, ensuring strong performance without losing efficiency.
Safety at the Core
Velusamy and his team started the NU_IQ platform with a clear goal — nothing less than 5-star standards across global crash test benchmarks, from GNCAP to Euro NCAP and ASEAN NCAP. The platform was engineered from the ground up to deliver that assurance, proving that toughness and technology can go hand in hand.
Every design choice also had to be practical. Take the luggage space, for example. The engineers managed to carve out a boot that is 15% larger than rival models in the same class, without compromising on cabin comfort or passenger protection.
But NU_IQ isn’t just about steel and structure; it’s also about software. Built on a forward-looking, software-defined architecture, the platform connects hardware with the cloud and AI-driven systems. The result is a smarter SUV experience — intuitive features, real-time updates, and seamless connectivity that grow with the vehicle over time.
Design From the Heart Where ‘Opposites Meet’
For Pratap Bose, Chief Design and Creative Officer at Mahindra, design is not just about creating shapes — it’s about creating emotion. At the core of this vision is Mahindra’s HEARTCORE philosophy, which means building SUVs that come straight from the heart. The team follows a unique mantra: Opposites Attract. It’s about balancing strength with sportiness, toughness with sophistication, and everyday practicality with genuine emotion.
Bose explains that every design journey begins with proportions — the stance, width, and height that give an SUV its commanding presence. Once that foundation is right, the team works on the surfaces and details: bold shoulders, muscular wheel arches, and carefully crafted lines that make the vehicle look powerful yet refined.
The same philosophy carries into the cabin. For him, interiors are not only about space but about how that space feels. The right choice of colours, textures, and materials can transform a cabin into something memorable and personal. In Bose’s words, these touches are what make every SUV feel special — and true to the OEM’s evolving identity.
Together, these ideas laid the foundation for Mahindra’s born powertrain agnostic compact platform, showing how NU_IQ combines innovation, toughness, and customer-centric design in one flexible architecture.
