Mahindra and Mahindra’s Chakan manufacturing facility in Pune has crossed the cumulative production milestone of three million vehicles, with the landmark vehicle being the BE 6 — the company’s most advanced flagship electric SUV. The milestone underlines the facility’s evolution from a conventional vehicle manufacturing plant into a future-ready hub capable of producing both internal combustion and electric vehicles at scale.
Chakan rolled out its first vehicle in December 2009. It took 107 months to produce the first million vehicles. The second million followed faster, and the third million was achieved in just 27 months — nearly four times the pace of the first — reflecting the acceleration in Mahindra’s production volumes driven by strong customer demand, particularly for its SUV and electric vehicle lineup.
Mr. R. Velusamy, President of the Automotive Business at Mahindra and Mahindra, said, “The rollout of our three-millionth vehicle, the BE 6, from Chakan marks a proud milestone in Mahindra’s manufacturing journey. The acceleration from 107 months for our first million vehicles to just 27 months for the latest million reflects the growing trust of our customers and the unwavering commitment of our people, partners, and suppliers. Chakan combines Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, IoT, 5G connectivity, advanced robotics, digital traceability, and flexible multi-model manufacturing, underpinned by Lean and TPM practices. Together, these capabilities enable us to deliver world-class quality, agility, and scale while advancing responsible manufacturing. As we continue to build world-class products in India for India and the world, Chakan will remain at the heart of our manufacturing excellence.”
Spread across 657 acres, the Chakan facility manufactures 19 models and over 450 variants across passenger vehicles, electric vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Seven multi-model assembly lines and synchronised autonomous mobile robots for material movement give the plant the flexibility to produce a wide range of vehicle types on a single integrated manufacturing floor.
The facility’s technology backbone is built on Industry 4.0 principles. Approximately 1,500 robots are deployed across operations, with automation levels exceeding 98% in the body shop. Robotic painting and sealer application are standard, and quality is enforced through 3D component scanning, real-time weld-integrity monitoring, and interlocked No Fault Forward quality gateways that prevent defective components from progressing through the production line. AI-enabled systems monitor personal protective equipment compliance and shop-floor safety in real time, while 5G connectivity and digital traceability run across the entire operation.
Sustainability is equally central to Chakan’s operating philosophy. More than 50% of the plant’s total energy requirement is met through renewable sources, and electric vehicle manufacturing at the facility runs entirely on renewable energy. The plant is water positive, returning the equivalent of 131% of the water it uses back to nature, supported by annual rainwater recharge of approximately 9.91 lakh kilolitres. Chakan is also certified as Zero Waste to Landfill and is on track to meet its EP100 commitment to double energy productivity.
On the export front, almost all vehicle models produced at Chakan support Mahindra’s international operations, with vehicles shipped to markets including South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand — reinforcing the facility’s role not just as a domestic production hub but as a platform for Mahindra’s global growth ambitions.
