Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) just threw down a big challenge to global EV behemoths like BYD and Tesla, ToI reported on November 28. Close on the heels of the company's keenly-watched launch of BE 6e and XUV 9e EVs (starting price around Rs 20 lakh), CEO Rajesh Jejurikar said that M&M was not afraid of any global carmaker and that it welcomes Tesla & BYD to "come and launch something like this in India, but at these prices".It is worth mentioning here that Mahindra & Mahindra has pumped in Rs 12,000 crore into e-vehicles to launch new 'lifestyle' cars. The newly launched BE 6e and XUV 9e are the first products of this new plan.Indian companies have enough confidence now to take on any big global green carmaker, Jejurikar told TOI's Pankaj Doval in an interview.M&M rolls with EV big boysThe new cars, from sketch to concept to launch, took just three years, Jejurikar said. The company is now all set to start the production of the cars, making it M&M's fastest development and scale-up, he added.Jejurikar said the cars boast of really high technologies, "which makes them comparable to any global luxury brand". According to Jejurikar, these EVs are comparable to global best products on "every possible parameter, except the pricing", where he said Mahindra is really aggressive. 115762338Responding to a question on the new blitz of too much style and tech in Mahindra cars, Jejurikar said that buyers, even in a conventional market like India, would welcome hi-tech and fancy styling if these things are done right.Jejurikar cited the example of the hi-tech ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) feature to drive home his point. When it was launched in XUV7OO, the success it got and the popularity it attained were way beyond the company's expectations, he said.Jejurikar noted that knowledge and interest in all things automotive are on the rise in India. "There is a huge awareness about what is coming in. People are today waiting to watch what is new and then aspiring to own them," he said."I don't think our cars are ahead of time. They become ahead of time only if they are priced too high, which our cars are not," Jejurikar added.Bring it on, Elon, says M&MIndia has the ability to do stuff that is world beating, Jejurikar said, pointing out how primarily Indian engineers created the two world-class products in just three years."When it comes to global brands, it is not at all a question of being scared. We actually welcome them here. Let them come and launch something like this in India, but at these prices... Even after they localise, let's see if any of these players can do what we are doing," Jejurikar said. 115762364It may be noted that global EV giants like China's BYD already has a limited presence in India (through imports), while the govt is trying hard to get Elon Musk's Tesla here. According to some in the industry, these "strong and experienced" players could make things tough for Indian companies.Indian companies today are good enough to match any global competition, Jejurikar said. According to him, the fact that these new products were created primarily by local talent puts India in a good stead when it comes to EVs.Jejurikar also underlined another factor: "More than talent, it's the passion and the ability to work hard. I don't think this can be matched by anyone anywhere in the West," he averred."Our teams here are so passionate about what they do. Their energy and passion is the competitive edge for India," he said.About the road-ahead for electric vehicles in India, the auto industry veteran said EVs would likely make up 30% of the market by 2030. Jejurikar had a message for those who doubt success of electrics in India. "As a country, once we start seeing success with good quality products, we will move at a very rapid rate in adoption of EVs. We haven't seen those kind of products in India yet," he said.