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The next big electric SUV battle is beginning to take shape. JSW MG Motor will unveil its new seven-seat electric SUV on August 26, and a test vehicle carrying “500+ range” graphics has already given away one of the headline numbers.

MG has not yet announced the India-spec battery capacity, certified range or motor output, so the 500+ km figure should not be treated as an ARAI number yet. But the positioning is clear. This will be a large three-row EV, placed above the Hector, and it will go directly into territory occupied by the Mahindra XEV 9S.

Pre-reservations are already open for Rs 21,000. The SUV is widely expected to use the Hector Tomahawk name, although MG has not formally announced the production name yet.

The new MG will offer seven seats with a bench-type second row. Teasers have also confirmed a panoramic sunroof, while the exterior has an upright SUV shape with rectangular headlamps, split LED daytime running lamps, prominent wheel arches and roof rails.

It is closely to the Wuling Eksion sold in Indonesia. That model measures 4,745mm long, 1,850mm wide and 1,755mm tall, with a 2,810mm wheelbase. If the MG stays close to those dimensions, it will be large enough to offer a genuine three-row cabin rather than treating the third row as an occasional-use add-on.

The overseas EV uses a 69.2kWh LFP battery and a front-mounted motor producing 201hp and 310Nm. Its claimed CLTC range is up to 530km. These numbers are useful clues, but they are not confirmed specifications for the vehicle that will be sold here.

This SUV will be the first production model on MG’s new ADAPT architecture. Unlike a platform designed around one type of powertrain, ADAPT can support pure EVs, strong hybrids, plug-in hybrids and range-extender EVs. MG also says the architecture can accommodate both 400V and 800V electrical systems.

The seven-seater will arrive as an EV first, with a plug-in hybrid version expected later. That gives MG room to use the same basic vehicle to attack different parts of the large family-SUV market.

Equipment on the Eksion includes dual screens, ventilated and powered front seats, a wireless charger, second- and third-row AC vents, a 360-degree camera, six airbags and an ADAS package. The final India feature list will only be clear at launch.

Mahindra’s XEV 9S already starts at Rs 19.95 lakh and goes up to Rs 29.45 lakh. It offers three rows, a 500km real-world range claim with its larger battery configuration, up to 210kW of power and 380Nm of torque.

Mahindra has also used its dedicated INGLO EV platform to extract substantial space. It quotes 4,076 litres of cabin volume for the first two rows, up to 527 litres of boot space and a 150-litre front storage area. Higher variants add equipment such as adaptive suspension, Level 2+ ADAS and three 12.3-inch screens.

That means MG cannot win this contest with a “500+ km” sticker alone. Range, usable third-row space, charging speed and price will decide how credible the challenge really is.

Early estimates place the new MG at roughly Rs 18 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, ex-showroom. If MG lands near that range while retaining a large battery and useful seven-seat packaging, it could overlap the heart of the XEV 9S line-up.