After exterior design patents of upcoming Mahindra Thar EV leaked, now is the time to glance at interior design patents including seating and dashboard
The Indian carmaker, Mahindrais set to expand its global footprint with cutting-edge products across multiple new markets. In that regard, Mahindra’s BE range and XUV.e range are under development. Also under development is Thar.e range with future scope for Bolero.e and Scorpio.e in the future.
Mahindra Thar EV Interior Design Patents Leak
Among these, Mahindra Thar EV seems to be the most exciting product. Mahindra showcased Thar.e Concept at Futurescape event held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Where Thar bears a stark design resemblance to Jeep Wrangler, Thar.e Concept had an entirely new and radical design that would grab eyeballs everywhere.
This new design ensures Mahindra to sell Thar EV in global markets without tangling with Stellantis over design trademark infringement with respect to Jeep Wrangler. A couple of days ago, Mahindra design patents leaked online showing Thar EV’s exteriors. The patented design is identical to what Mahindra showcased in concept form.
Now, design patents of Thar EV’s interiors have been leaked, showing both 4-seater and 5-seater layouts for 2nd row. Along with that, we can see the front seats patented along with dashboard showing instrument cluster and infotainment system positioning, door pads and gear selector design.
These design patents match that of Mahindra Thar.e Concept interiors that Mahindra showcased in South Africa and official CGI debut video. Starting with dashboard, it is multi layered and rather small in X-direction. This brings 1st row seats very close to the almost 90-degree front windshield.
What do Thar EV design patents reveal?
There are chunky grab handles that facilitate ingress and egress, considering the mammoth 300 mm ground clearance. There are a few buttons on dashboard to operate a few vehicle functions. Climate and audio controls are likely to be integrated into its squarish infotainment display, while fully digital instrument screen is horizontal.
Gear lever looks very macho and substantial. Reminds me of yacht controls. Parking, Drive and Reverse are likely to be the only modes. Front seats look futuristic with a horizontal headrest and an interesting pattern on seatback. Door pads look chunky too, with a futuristic design. There are substantial-looking grab handles that will come in handy when terrain gets rough.
Mahindra Thar EV will get either 4-seater or 5-seater options with rear captain chairs with an armrest or bench seats without an armrest. Both have been patented. These seat patents lack headrests, but production model will get headrests. Speaking of production, we are sceptical about whether these elements will actually become a reality or not.
When will it launch?
We say this because Mahindra had patented a significantly fancy and pompous version of Scorpio Global Pik Up in India. But in reality, all the exaggerated design elements were deleted in the production-spec Scorpio Pik Up test mules spotted testing recently. We would suggest not holding your breath for these design attributes and taking them with a pinch of salt. Maybe even a teaspoon worth.
Where powertrain options are concerned, Mahindra Thar.e Concept showed Prismatic Blade Cells sourced from BYD along with a more powerful primary rear motor and a secondary less powerful front motor. Launch could happen in 2025. But can extend to 2026 too.
