Mahindra Vs Indigo: Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s leading SUV manufacturer, has renamed its newly launched electric SUV, previously called the ‘Mahindra BE 6e,’ to ‘Mahindra BE 6.’ This decision follows a legal suit filed by IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, which accused the automaker of trademark infringement over the use of “6E” in the original name.
Mahindra is currently defending its rights to the brand name ‘BE 6e’ amid a dispute with IndiGo, which uses ‘6E’ as its airline designator code. The Delhi High Court is overseeing the case. On November 26, Mahindra unveiled its electric-origin SUVs, the BE 6e and the XEV 9e, as part of its electric vehicle lineup.
Mahindra BE 6e: Trademark Filing
Mahindra has applied for trademark registration for the BE 6e under Class 12 (vehicles), aligning it with its “born electric” SUV portfolio. The term ‘BE’ is already a registered trademark with the automaker, representing its ‘born electric’ platform that forms the foundation of the BE 6e.
Mahindra’s Stand
Mahindra & Mahindra has expressed its intent to firmly contest the matter in court, asserting its right to use the BE 6e name. The company described IndiGo’s claim as baseless, warning that allowing it to go unchallenged could create an unhealthy precedent for monopolizing alphanumeric two-character marks.
IndiGo’s Trademark History
This is not IndiGo’s first legal battle over trademarks. In 2015, the airline was embroiled in a dispute with Tata Motors, which had marketed a sedan under the name “Indigo.”
Mahindra BE 6e Price In India
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has recently expanded its electric vehicle portfolio in India with the launch of two new models: BE 6e and XEV 9e. The entry-level variants of these models are priced at Rs 18.9 lakh and Rs 21.9 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively.
Mahindra BE 6e Features
It offers dual 12.3-inch floating screens, a panoramic sunroof, multi-zone climate control, three drive modes, wireless phone charging, connected car technology, and an AI interface. It also gets 7 airbags and an ADAS suite. Moreover, the newly launched electric vehicle comes with two battery packs: 59kWh and 79kWh.
The pack features lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, and Mahindra claims it can charge from 20% to 80% in just 20 minutes with a 175 kW DC fast charger.