
The New Mahindra Thar.e
Mahindra revealed their ‘vision’ of the all-new electrified SUV – the Thar.e – at the recent Futurescape event held in Cape Town, in August. Wondering how it will stack up against the previous generation of Thar currently sold in South Africa? We take a look at what the major differences could be between the two.
Expected to debut in 2026, this electric vehicle has super futuristic geometric angles and a robust exterior. It very much looks the part of an off-roader but is stylish enough to roam around the city. Its interior is a blend of minimalism and functionality which serves both the adventure junkie and urban city slicker.
The most obvious difference between the Mahindra Thar.e and Thar is that the electric version prioritises eco-friendly drive, while the regular Thar promises slightly more range and a traditional mechanical SUV experience. The Thar.e is aligned with the global movement towards responsible consumption, with a focus on sustainable materials – with fabrics made from 50% recycled PET.
At present, Mahindra offers the XUV400 as the sole electric offering, which is based on the XUV300 sub-compact SUV, but the introduction of the Thar.e will change that.
Performance Specs
Although the specs are not confirmed, the Thar.e will be based on the INGLO P1 platform and is expected to be powered by a 60kWh battery. This substantial battery pack has a claimed range of up to 500 kilometres on a single charge!
Due to its range, the electric SUV is a cost-effective and eco-friendly choice. In comparison, the current Thar diesel can do over 600 kilometres on a full tank of fuel, which bodes well for longer and more remote adventures. Both vehicles are mated to a 6-speed manual or automatic.
With instant electric torque, the Thar.e can accelerate from 0-100kph in just 10 seconds, which is faster than the older Thar which is around 13 seconds.
One big downside is that the Thar.e will take about an hour for a fast charge to 80%, while the Thar has a standard fuel tank that takes five minutes to fill up.
Structure
With high ground clearance, it’s perfect for offroading. The Thar.e will have the highest clearance in its EV SUV segment with a 226mm ground clearance, while the regular Thar has 190mm ground clearance on hard-top variants with 226mm clearance on soft-top convertible variants.
The wheelbase of the Thar.e will range from 2,775 mm to 2,975 mm to accommodate the extra doors and battery pack. It seems that underside protection on the Thar.e is improved on rough terrain and it is less likely to scrape on large obstacles or get caught on steep gradients.
The new Thar.e will be available in three-door and five-door options.
Comfort Features
The Mahindra Thar.e has modern touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto/Apple Carplay, while the Thar has a basic infotainment system and Bluetooth connectivity. The Thar.e will also have a 7-inch digital MID instrument cluster, as opposed to the Thar’s analogue instrument cluster.
In terms of comfort and convenience, the Mahindra Thar.e will offer cruise control, rear parking sensors, and power windows, which is more than the basic features of the Thar.
Safety has also improved with standard ABS, EBD, ESP, hill descent control, disc brakes on all wheels, and two airbags in the Thar.e. The previous generation Mahindra Thar has basic dual airbags and ABS.
Mahindra is set to unveil as many as five electric SUVs by October 2026, and the Thar.e is one of them!
Visit our Group1 Mahindra Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest news from Mahindra on the new Thar.e.