The Mahindra Thar just got its most important spy sighting yet. For the first time, a camouflaged Thar Electric has been caught testing on Indian roads. It clearly carries the boxy Vision T concept look, now as a five-door EV. But don't hold your breath, a real launch is likely 2028 or later.
Thar Electric spied: what we actually know
This isn't a facelift of the current Mahindra Thar. It's a separate electric SUV that will sit alongside the petrol and diesel models. The test car is heavily wrapped, but the shape matches the Vision T concept shown in August 2025. That concept itself grew out of the Thar.e idea from August 2023. Mahindra has not confirmed the name, the battery size, the range or the price yet. So treat everything beyond the design as 'expected', not 'confirmed'.
Mahindra Thar.e
SUVDesign: Vision T concept turns real
The front is the biggest giveaway. There's a wide grille with vertical elements in a two-level pattern, flanked by squarish headlamp housings that look like LEDs. The flat clamshell bonnet, upright windscreen and chunky bumper keep the boxy Thar character. The big rectangular mirrors still look Thar-like. And the flared wheel arches give it a wide, planted stance. The wheels look big too, around 19 or 20 inches, but with more road-friendly tyres than the aggressive off-road rubber on the concepts.
Five doors and no spare wheel on the tailgate
The side view confirms a five-door layout, so this is a family-friendly Thar, not a two-door lifestyle toy. Flat side steps run under the doors, a simpler setup than the exposed steps on the Thar.e concept. At the back, the tailgate is broad and upright with a large rear window. The interesting bit: there's no spare wheel mounted on the tailgate right now. In production, Mahindra will probably add it like the Thar Roxx, but that's not confirmed.
Interior: digital screens and a Scorpio-style cabin expected
Only a small part of the cabin is visible through the camouflage. You can see an illuminated digital instrument display (the screen behind the steering) and chunky grab handles near the A-pillars. The rest of the dashboard is hidden. But the Vision T concept had a portrait touchscreen (a vertical infotainment display), a separate horizontal driver screen and a thick centre console. The new Scorpio Lifestyler also uses a big portrait screen. So the Thar Electric could borrow Mahindra's existing screen setup, though nothing is confirmed on screen size or software.
Platform and powertrain: INGLO-P1 with independent rear suspension
The Thar.e concept sat on a custom version of Mahindra's INGLO-P1 skateboard platform (the flat EV base that holds the battery). The underbody of this test car hints at independent rear suspension. That matters. The current Thar uses a solid rear axle, which is tough off-road but bumpy on the road. Independent rear suspension would make the electric Thar far more comfortable in the city and on the highway. Battery size and claimed range are still unknown, so we can't give you real-world km figures yet.
Launch timeline: 2028 or later
Here's the reality check. Mahindra's wider NU_IQ EV rollout starts from 2027, but the Thar Electric's launch date is not confirmed. Road testing has only just begun. That usually means two to three more years of development. So a launch in 2028 or later looks likely. Mahindra has also filed design patents for the Vision T and Vision SXT, which shows it's serious about this direction. Just don't expect showrooms to have it soon.
Competition: a new lifestyle-EV fight, not the usual rivals
The current Thar's priced rivals are compact SUVs like the Tata Nexon (₹7.40-14.40 lakh), Kia Sonet (₹7.41-14.47 lakh), Maruti Brezza (₹7.40-13.71 lakh) and Fronx (₹6.85-11.98 lakh). The electric Thar won't fight those. It targets a new breed of boxy, rugged electrified SUVs. The Chery iCAR V23 (a boxy electric SUV) has been spotted testing in India. JSW Motors is also readying a Jetour T2-based plug-in hybrid, possibly called Combat. Both share the upright, rugged look that Thar buyers love. If Mahindra waits till 2028, these could land first.
Should you wait for the electric Thar or buy the ICE now?
If you want a Thar today, buy the current one. The Mahindra Thar starts at ₹10.32 lakh for the AXT diesel (117 bhp, 15.2 kmpl ARAI, a government test that always reads higher than real driving) and tops out at ₹17.99 lakh. The LXT petrol makes 150 bhp. Remember, these are 4-seaters with a solid rear axle, and on-road prices add road tax, registration and insurance (varies by state). The electric version is at least two years away, with no price, range or battery confirmed. So waiting means waiting a long time. The petrol and diesel Thar makes sense for buyers who want a rugged SUV now; the electric Thar will suit urban lifestyle buyers who want the boxy look with EV smoothness, but only once it actually arrives.
References: Mahindra India — official website
