In a reshuffle of India’s electric vehicle (EV) market, Mahindra has surpassed JSW MG Motor India to become the country’s second-largest EV manufacturer in the first half of 2026.
Sales data for the January-June 2026 period show that Mahindra recorded EV sales of 38,751 units, comprehensively beating MG which sold 27,973 units during the same period. Tata Motors continues to lead the overall EV market with sales of 59,961 units across its seven models.
A primary driver behind Mahindra’s surge is the performance of the XEV 9S. Having sold 18,167 units in six months, the XEV 9S has emerged as India’s second largest-selling EV model, behind the MG Windsor, which registered 19,080 units. The success of the seven-seater electric SUV highlights Mahindra’s strategy of addressing larger family requirements.
“When we launched the XEV 9e, which is a large five-seater electric SUV, we realised that we needed to also bring a product that fits into the life of someone who wants space and seven seats – someone who has a larger family and often goes out with friends,” Pratap Bose, chief design and creative officer, auto & farms, Mahindra, told FE. “The XEV 9e attracted a lot of people to the showroom; they loved the car, but couldn’t buy it because they were in a certain life stage where you have a couple of kids or live in a joint family. The XEV 9S meets the need of such families.”
Mahindra’s five-seater XEV 9e maintained a steady sales run, having sold 11,149 units during H1CY26. Coupled with the BE 6 (6,849 units), XUV 3XO EV (1,935 units), and XUV400 (651 units), Mahindra expanded its footprint across multiple price brackets.
For MG, the Windsor remained its primary volume contributor, accounting for 19,080 units. MG’s other offerings, the Comet (4,474 units) and ZS EV (4,419 units), provided supplementary volumes.
Industry analysts note that product differentiation played a crucial role in Mahindra’s market expansion.
“Mahindra took the lead over MG because the XEV 9S, a seven-seater electric SUV, brought in additional sales for Mahindra without cannibalising the five-seater XEV 9e,” said Gaurav Vangaal, associate director, LVP forecasting, Mobility Global.
“Mahindra is also expected to maintain the lead because it has more EV models than MG. But you never know the market. MG got a sleeper hit in the form of the Windsor two years ago, and the upcoming electric EV on their new ADAPT platform, if priced well, will pull in a new set of customers, helping MG reduce its sales gap with Mahindra in the EV space.”
MG is now preparing to launch the Hector Tomahawk EV on August 26. Built on the new ADAPT platform, this model is positioned to target buyers in the multi-seater e-SUV segment and could allow MG to close the gap with Mahindra.
To fortify its position, Mahindra launched the BE 6 SPORTEQ on August 15, offering new feature updates and battery options aimed at generating incremental volumes. In addition, sources indicate that Mahindra is actively developing the BE 7, scheduled for release next year.
At the same time, the Indian EV segment is no longer a three-way contest among Tata, Mahindra, and MG. Maruti Suzuki’s eVitara achieved 8,572 units in five active sales months (February to June 2026), establishing Maruti Suzuki as a significant competitor in the volume EV space. If Maruti Suzuki brings in more EV models – sources said it is developing a three-row, seven-seater EV to tap into large family buyers, slated for 2027 launch – it might end up directly challenging the market leader Tata Motors.
