Mahindra BE.05 Electric SUV’s test mule reveals new details: Will come with a moonroof

Mahindra Automotive is betting big on the future of electric vehicles. This is why the company has accelerated its development of the BE (Born Electric) range of EV SUVs. Most recently, another test mule of the Mahindra BE.05 was spotted testing on the streets, revealing a new key detail about this SUV: a video of this test mule has shown that it will come equipped with a full moonroof.

This spy video of the Mahindra BE.05 test mule comes courtesy of Power Stroke PS from YouTube. It starts off with a top view of the Mahindra BE.05 EV SUV coming into the frame. The video then zooms in and reveals that the entire car was covered with camouflage. However, the roof section was not covered. It was then noted that the roof on the BE.05 is actually a fixed glass roof. This type of roof is called a moonroof.

What is a moonroof, and is it the same as a sunroof?

For those who may not be aware, there is a difference between a sunroof and a moonroof. A moonroof is a type of roof opening specifically made of glass, providing a transparent view of the sky. On the other hand, a sunroof is a more generic term used by carmakers, meaning roof openings made of either glass or metal, with various configurations for sliding, tilting, or retracting.

Mahindra BE.05 EV

Now coming to the car on which this moonroof has been spotted, the much-anticipated Mahindra BE.05 electric SUV. Mahindra first unveiled the concept of the BE.05 back in August of 2022. It was one of the first cars from the Born Electric lineup of Mahindra’s upcoming EV SUV range. The test mules of this particular car started appearing on the Indian roads in July of this year. The first test mule revealed that the design of the concept vehicle has been toned down a little bit to make it production-ready. Most likely, this SUV will be hitting the showroom floors by the year 2025.

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The highly anticipated BE.05 is underpinned by Mahindra’s brand-new INGLO EV skateboard platform. It will also serve as the foundation for several of their upcoming electric SUVs. At the moment, specific powertrain details for the BE.05 have not been disclosed; however, it is known that the platform will employ a standardized battery pack design with Blade and Prismatic cell structures. The battery sizes will range from 60-80 kWh, capable of fast charging at up to 175 kW, enabling an 80 percent charge in less than 30 minutes, depending on the model. Mahindra estimates that the 80 kWh battery will deliver a driving range of approximately 435 km to 450 km under the WLTP cycle.

Mahindra BE.05 Rall-E

Based on the upcoming Mahindra BE.05, the company also showcased the concept of the BE.05 Rall-E. This more hardcore off-road specific variant of the BE.05 was shown with a much more aggressive design. The BE.05 Rall-E in its concept form was given massive fender flares with thick side claddings, bigger off-road wheels and tires, a roof rack with multiple accessories, a rugged metal front and rear bumper, and a lot of additional lights.

It was also revealed that the BE.05 Rall-E will come equipped with structural cages around the passenger cabin and a multi-piece dash panel with reinforcement. The electric SUV will also come with 5 Radar-1 Vision ADAS architecture, and there will be the availability of the L2+ autonomy too. As for the powertrain specifications, it will utilize the same one as the BE.05 EV SUV.