Electric passenger vehicle sales rose 82% year-on-year in FY26 to 196,754 units, nearing the 200,000- mark, as wider model availability and increased participation by automakers supported adoption.
The segment had recorded sales of 108,336 units in FY25 and 90,998 units in FY24, indicating an acceleration in growth compared with the 19% rise seen last year.
Industry executives said the expansion was driven by sustained traction among early movers and a scale-up by Mahindra & Mahindra, which has emerged as a stronger challenger in the segment. A series of new launches through FY26 also helped deepen the market by expanding choices across price points.
Recent introductions
Recent introductions included Mahindra’s BE 6 and XEV 9e, Tata Motors’ Harrier EV, BYD’s Sealion 7 and Kia India’s Carens Clavis EV. VinFast also entered with the VF6 and VF7 models, while Tata Motors refreshed its portfolio with the new-generation Punch EV. With these additions, the number of electric car models available has risen to around 64 across 25 brands.
Tata Motors retained its lead position in FY26 with sales of 77,247 units. JSW MG Motor India followed with 52,494 units, while Mahindra & Mahindra reported a sharp increase to 42,255 units. Among other manufacturers, Hyundai Motor India sold 5,823 units, BYD reported 5,335 units and Kia India recorded 3,710 units. BMW India clocked 3,495 units, while other players together accounted for 6,395 units.
Executives said demand has been supported by improvements in driving range and product quality, alongside rising comfort among buyers, particularly for second-car usage. Fleet demand also contributed to volumes during the year.
The entry of Maruti Suzuki into the electric passenger vehicle segment is expected to widen the market further, particularly in mass segments and non-metro regions, where penetration remains low.
However, industry participants flagged charging infrastructure as a key constraint.