Mahindra Renames Electric SUV To ‘BE 6’ In ‘6e’ Fight With IndiGo

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has decided to contest in court the brand rights to ‘BE 6e' in court after InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. claimed the trademark of ‘6E' as its own.

Its latest electric SUV will be renamed to ‘BE 6', in the meanwhile.

“Mahindra's mark is ‘BE 6e' not the standalone ‘6E',” India's largest SUV maker by revenue said in a media statement on Saturday. “We believe it differs fundamentally from IndiGo's ‘6E', which represents an airline, eliminating any risk of confusion. The distinct styling further emphasises its uniqueness. Our registration application is for an entirely different industry sector and product and hence do not see any conflict.”

On 3 December 2024, InterGlobe Aviation, which operates India's largest airline IndiGo, took Mahindra Electric Automobile Ltd. to the Delhi High Court over the use of ‘6e' in the name of its latest electric SUV. The matter was posted for hearing on 9 December.

According to IndiGo, the ‘6E' mark is an integral part of its identity for the past 18 years and a registered trademark that holds “strong global recognition”.

An IndiGo plane on the tarmac. (Photo: Vijay Sartape/NDTV Profit).

“Any unauthorised use of the ‘6E' mark, whether standalone or in any form, constitutes an infringement of IndiGo's rights, reputation and goodwill,” the statement read. “IndiGo is committed to taking all necessary and appropriate steps to safeguard its intellectual property and brand identity.”

To be sure, IndiGo itself is in violation of trademark laws.

Tata Motors Ltd. had in the past objected to InterGlobe using the IndiGo mark, since that was the name of its sedan. While the Tata Indigo was launched in 2002, the first IndiGo plane took flight in 2006.

“IndiGo continues to use the mark IndiGo in a different industry and business. We therefore find their objection to ‘BE 6e' to be inconsistent with their own previous conduct,” Mahindra said. “We also find it unseemly that two large, Indian multinationals should engage in a distracting and unnecessary conflict when, in fact, we should be championing each other's growth and expansion.”

“We are hence taking the decision to brand our product ‘BE 6'.”

On 26 November, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. unveiled its first “electric origin” SUVs—the BE 6e and XEV 9e—to the media, investors and dealers. Just a day earlier, on 25 November, the Registrar of Trademarks accepted Mahindra Electric's request to register the word mark ‘BE 6e'. If registered, Mahindra Electric will be permitted to use ‘BE 6e' for a wide range of motor vehicles and related components.

IndiGo received the ‘6e' code from the International Air Transport Association as an official callsign and uses it for branding various in-flight services, including food & beverage, check-in and premium experience.

“We, however, do believe the claim by IndiGo is baseless and, if not challenged, will set an unhealthy precedent of monopolising alpha-numeric two-character marks, despite our mark being distinctive and different,” Mahindra said in the 7 December statement. “This will be enormously constraining for all companies across industries and sectors.”

“We will thus continue to strongly contest this in court and reserve our right to the brand name ‘BE 6e'.”