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This article is about the manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra. For the race team see this article: Mahindra Racing.
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Mahindra and Mahindra Logo
Background
Based Flag of India Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Founded J. C. Mahindra; K. C. Mahindra; Malik Ghulam Muhammad (1945)
Founder Unknown
Key People Anand Mahindra (Executive Chairman)
Industry Automobiles
Formula E Record
Début 2015 Beijing ePrix
Total Entries 47 (47 Starts)
Wins Poles FLs
4 7 7
Total Points 583
Former Team(s) Unknown
Current Season
Team(s) Flag of India Mahindra Racing
Car Mahindra M4Electro

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., originally founded as Mahindra & Mohammed, is an Indian automotive manufacturer which has competed in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship since 2015/16.[1] Better known simply as Mahindra, the group also have their own Formula E Team, Mahindra Racing, which has taken several victories with Mahindra's powertrains.[2] The firm have also had their entry confirmed for 2018/19, meaning they will supply powertrains for a fourth straight season.[3]

Mahindra & Mahindra are a key part of the larger Mahindra Group, which owns various other business including the famed Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina.

Background[]

Jagdish Chandra Mahindra, the former 'Steel Controller' in India during the Second World War, his brother Kailash Chandra Mahindra, and businessman Malik Ghulam Muhammad decided to form their own steel trading company in 1945, named Mahindra & Muhammad.[4] After three years, however, Muhammad was to leave the company to become finance minister in the newly formed Pakistan, leaving the Mahindra brothers in sole control.[4] They would begin to invest in other sectors away from the steel industry, before obtaining a license to build Wills Jeeps in India.[4]

Automotive moves[]

The switch to building the Jeep ensured that Mahindra would turn most of their operations to the automotive industry, basing several designs on the Jeep platform.[4] Various other agreements were made with Renault, Peugeot-Citroën and Kia to expand Mahindra's licences, before the Indian firm began a physical expansion into the United Kingdom and the United States.[4] By the mid-2000s Mahindra would operate several factories in India, three in the US, and one in the UK.[4]

In 2011 Mahindra would move into the electric vehicle market, gaining a controlling stake in REVA Electric Vehicles, which became Mahindra REVA.[4] This followed a move into the energy sector in 2002, which ultimately resulted in Mahindra Solar, which supplied a lot of off-grid electricity for their factories.[4] The group also have a long association with the agricultural industry, with Mahindra Tractors one of the group's oldest endeavours.[4]

Formula E History[]

Mahindra & Mahindra decided to get involved in the new FIA Formula E Championship at its launch, obtaining a spot in the inaugural 2014/15 season for their race team, Mahindra Racing.[5] They signed India's most successful racing driver Karun Chandhok, as well as ex-Formula One racer Bruno Senna, to race for them, with the pair becoming consistent points finishers in the Series.[5] The team then went on to gain manufacturer status for 2015/16, with Mahindra agreeing a deal with McLaren Applied Technologies to update their Spark-Renault SRT_01E powertrain.[6]

Design Delight[]

The upgraded McLaren platform performed reasonably well in 2015/16, with new signing Nick Heidfeld standing on the podium at the 2015 Beijing ePrix.[7] However, while both Heidfeld and Senna would score regular points, Mahindra would investigate alternative designs for 2016/17, duly signing up with Italian specialists Magneti Marelli.[8] Regardless, Senna would sign off the season with a podium visit in London, before leaving the team at season's end.[9]

The Magneti-Mahindra ultimately proved to be another improvement for Mahindra in 2016/17, particularly in the hands of FE rookie Felix Rosenqvist.[10] Indeed, the mercurial Swede would claim Mahindra's first pole position at the 2016 Marrakech ePrix, before claiming a maiden victory for the Indian firm in Berlin.[11] Elsewhere, both Rosenqvist and Heidfeld would become regular visitors to the podium, propelling the entire Mahindra team to third in the Teams' Championship.

For 2017/18 there would be little change for Mahindra, with Rosenqvist and Heidfeld retained as their drivers, while Magneti Marelli was again commissioned to design their powertrain.[12]

Products[]

Mahindra, and their race team Mahindra Racing have been involved in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship since its inception, with Mahindra obtaining manufacturer status in 2015/16.[1]

Mahindra M2Electro[]

Main article: Mahindra M2Electro

The Mahindra M2Electro was the first FE car developed by Mahindra, developed in partnership with McLaren Electronic Systems.[6]

Mahindra M3Electro[]

Main article: Mahindra M3Electro

The Magneti Marelli inspired Mahindra M3Electro was the second FE car produced by Mahindra, and duly became their first ePrix winning creation in Berlin.[13]

Mahindra M4Electro[]

Main article: Mahindra M4Electro

The Mahindra M4Electro is the current FE car built and manufactured by Mahindra in partnership with Magneti Marelli, and is the firm's most successful design to date.[12]

References[]

Videos and Images:

References:

  1. 1.0 1.1 'FIA homologates manufacturers for second Formula E season', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 03/08/2015), http://fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/august/fia-homologates-manufacturers-for-second-formula-e-season.aspx, (Accessed 03/08/2015)
  2. 'Rosenqvist victorious in 2018 ABB FIA Formula E Marrakesh E-Prix', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 13/01/2018), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/january/rosenqvist-victorious-in-2018-abb-fia-formula-e-marrakesh-e-prix/, (Accessed 13/01/2018)
  3. 'Nine manufacturers homologated for Season 5', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 21/03/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/march/nine-season-5-powertrain-manufacturers-homologated/, (Accessed 22/03/2017)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 'Our history', mahindra.com, (Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., 2018), http://www.mahindra.com/about-us/history, (Accessed 25/05/2018)
  5. 5.0 5.1 'Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna sign for Mahindra Racing', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 26/05/2014), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2014/may/karun-chandhok-and-bruno-senna-sign-for-mahindra-racing.aspx, (Accessed 30/04/2015)
  6. 6.0 6.1 'Eight manufacturers to enter Formula E next season', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 23/02/2015), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/february/eight-manufacturers-to-enter-fia-formula-e-from-second-season.aspx, (Accessed 30/04/2015)
  7. 'Buemi to the max in Beijing', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 24/10/2015), http://fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/october/buemi-wins-swusp-beijing-eprix.aspx, (Accessed 25/10/2015)
  8. Sam Smith, 'Magneti Marelli enters Formula E with Mahindra', motorsport.com, (Motorsport Network, 22/04/2018), https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/magneti-marelli-enters-formula-e-with-mahindra-689172/, (Accessed 25/05/2018)
  9. 'BUEMI AND DI GRASSI CHARGE UP THE ORDER, BUT IT’S PROST WHO LEADS THE WAY', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 02/07/2016), http://fiaformulae.com/en/news/2016/july/prost-wins-in-style-as-di-grassi-inches-closer-to-title/, (Accessed 03/07/2016)
  10. 'ROSENQVIST AND HEIDFELD CONFIRMED AT MAHINDRA: SWEDISH DRIVER FELIX ROSENQVIST JOINS NICK HEIDFELD AT MAHINDRA RACING FOR 2016/17 SEASON', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 22/08/2016), http://fiaformulae.com/en/news/2016/august/rosenqvist-and-heidfeld-confirmed-at-mahindra/, (Accessed 22/08/2016)
  11. 'Red hot Rosenqvist hands Mahindra first win', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 10/06/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/june/red-hot-rosenqvist-hands-mahindra-first-win/, (Accessed 16/06/2017)
  12. 12.0 12.1 'Mahindra Racing reveals Season 4 challenger', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 21/03/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/march/mahindra-racing-reveals-season-4-challenger/, (Accessed 21/03/2017)
  13. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ber17R1
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