INGLO is the new ground up ev platform from Mahindra and underpins the XEV9e and BE 6e. The battery pack uses LFP cells from BYD and is a cell to pack design.
Module to Pack
This pack is described as cell to pack, but this pack has very clearly defined modules and a pack frame that divides these modules. This pack looks more closely aligned to that of the VW MEB architecture and there is a good reason for that:
Exactly a year ago, Mahindra tied up with Volkswagen to source EV components, notably the battery cells and the electric motor for its upcoming INGLO-based vehicles, but this has run into delays, and people in the know say the supply of these critical parts from VW’s MEB architecture may not come before 2026-27. Mahindra’s first born EV – the .e8 – meanwhile is due by late 2024.
EXCLUSIVE: Mahindra to launch ‘Born Electric’ EV range with BYD blade cells, Valeo electric motors, Autocar professional
- 16 Short Blade Cells
The module we see displayed by Mahindra in their video [1] shows the local control board under the orange end cover, a metal top plate bolted on two sides and plastic spacers.
An interesting version of a cell to pack design where the modules appear to be discrete and without their own mechanical constraints.
The top plate appears to be a way of supporting the pack frames to cell expansion forces over the lifetime.
The image of the pack with the cutaway lid shows the module top plates with a black spacer to stop it vibrating against the overall pack lid. All this clearly shows this is not cell to pack.
There are 4 fixings down the centre of the pack. Our assumption is that these fix into the body structure along with the peripheral fixings.
The frame [4] shows a mix of diescast aluminium internal beams and centre spine with extruded sections assembled to create the outer frame.
This post has been built based on the support and sponsorship from: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eatron Technologies, About:Energy, Quarto Technical Services and Alvatek.
Cooling
The cooling plate sits under the pack with the same design philosophy of the the VW MEB platform.
In the picture of the pack you can see the cooling connections are all outside the battery pack and at the opposite end to the electrical connections.
A design approach that avoids coolant leaks into the battery pack. Hence improving safety, but not so good for cell temperature control as heat is lost and gained to the pack enclosure and environment.
Cell & Configurations
- BYD Blade
- Chemistry = LFP
If we use what we know of the 79kWh pack and that it has 8 modules, each containing 16 LFP cells we get:
- 79,000Wh / (3.2V x 8 x 16) = 192.87Ah
Assume that as this is LFP and that the usable SOC window is 97% and that 79kWh is the usable pack energy we get:
- 192.87Ah / 0.97 = 198.8Ah
Now that is a cell capacity very close to the BYD Short Blade 200Ah cell.
If we then use this knowledge and look at the small pack we can estimate the gross capacity based on there being 6 modules in this pack:
- 200Ah x 3.2V x 6 x 16 = 61,440Wh = 61.44kWh
Assuming the same 97% usable window
- 61.44kWh x 0.97 = 59.6kWh
This is looks sensible, but we need to just confirm a few more parameters to confirm.
Is this as claimed the highest energy density LFP battery pack at 141.55Wh/kg ?
Looking at the data in our pack database for all LFP based packs, No.
Is it interesting? Yes, the mix of blade cells in a design that appears to be more easily recycled is a move forwards.
- Mahindra’s Electric Origin Architecture – INGLO | XEV 9e, BE 6e, YouTube
- A Closer Look at Mahindra’s in-house Developed Battery Packs, HT Auto
- EXCLUSIVE: Mahindra to launch ‘Born Electric’ EV range with BYD blade cells, Valeo electric motors, Autocar professional
- Battery Packs Inside the Mahindra BE 6e and ZEV 9e, YouTube
While these calculations makes sense, it looks like the cells are custom made and not from BYD’s standard set of cells. The length of BYD 202Ah is 960 mm. So side by side module would make the pack width more than vehicle width. also the thickness is 13.5mm which would be too small looking at the battery pictures.
Sorry, I was looking at the short blade option as there is a 200Ah cell available already. Agree it might be a special design, but got the feeling that Mahindra had to swap to a different cell quite late into their work and hence probably not a new cell, but something in production.