Mahindra to contest ‘BE 6e’ Trademark against IndiGo in court, renames electric SUV brand to ‘BE 6’

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has announced its decision to rename its new electric vehicle (EV) brand to ‘BE 6’. This comes amid an ongoing legal battle with InterGlobe Aviation, the owner of IndiGo airlines, over the trademark ‘BE 6e’. Despite the renaming, Mahindra intends to continue contesting IndiGo’s claim in court.

IndiGo, India’s largest domestic airline, has sued Mahindra for using the ‘6E’ branding, which is widely recognized as IndiGo’s call sign. Mahindra argues that the claim is baseless and plans to challenge it vigorously during court proceedings.

“Our priority is ensuring an excellent customer experience as we take our product to the market. We would not like to get distracted from our vision of popularising electric transport in India,” Mahindra stated. The company also expressed disappointment over the conflict, emphasizing that both Indian multinationals should support each other’s growth rather than engage in disputes.

Mahindra has decided to brand its product as “BE 6” to avoid distraction from its core mission. The automaker stressed that IndiGo’s claim, if unchallenged, could set a negative precedent by monopolizing alphanumeric two-character marks, which could restrict other companies across various industries.

The company highlighted past objections from Tata Motors regarding InterGlobe’s use of the IndiGo mark, noting that InterGlobe uses the mark across different industries and businesses. Mahindra unveiled its electric-origin SUVs, the BE 6e and XEV 9e, on November 26, 2024.

Mahindra has applied for trademark registration under class 12 (vehicles) for “BE 6e” and has the “BE” mark registered in the same class, representing its “born electric” platform. The automaker insists that “BE 6e” differs fundamentally from IndiGo’s “6E,” eliminating any risk of confusion due to the distinct industries and styling.

The BE 6e is part of Mahindra’s futuristically designed sports e-SUV lineup, which includes models like BE 5e and BE 7e. Mahindra’s other EV brand, XEV, recently launched the XEV 9e.

Despite the renaming, Mahindra remains committed to contesting IndiGo’s claim and securing its right to the ‘BE 6e’ brand name. The company believes that the dispute should not detract from its mission to advance electric transportation in India.