Maruti Suzuki and VinFast are rapidly gaining ground in the electric passenger vehicle market despite entering the segment later than rivals, signalling that consumer trust, service reach and ownership ecosystem are beginning to play a larger role in buying decisions than first-mover advantage.

Industry sales data showed the combined market share of the two automakers rising to 10.5% in April from 3.1% in January. Their gains came at the expense of established players Tata Motors and JSW MG Motor India, whose combined share declined to 58.1% from 68.3% during the same period.

Maruti Suzuki, which entered the segment in February with the e Vitara, recorded one of the steepest gains during the period. Monthly sales increased from 224 units in January, accounting for nearly 1% market share, to 1,321 units, taking its share to 5.3%. VinFast, which entered India in September last year with the VF6 and VF7 electric SUVs, increased sales from 447 units and around 2% market share to 1,278 units, accounting for 5.2%.

Among established players, Tata Motors market share declined to 36.6% in April from 42.6% in January, while MG’s share fell to 21.5% from 25.7%.

Industry executives said Maruti Suzuki’s gains are being supported by strong brand recall, an extensive dealership and service network, and investments in charging infrastructure. The company has announced plans to establish 100,000 public and private EV charging points by 2030 as part of its electric mobility strategy.

“Apart from brand strength, the company’s network reach and expanding charging infrastructure are the key reasons for customers to opt for e-Vitara,” Puneet Gupta, director at S&P Global Mobility, said. “However, whether the company would like to scale its EV market share closer to its ICE-hybrid business levels and sustain that momentum over the long term remains to be seen,” Gupta added.

Analysts said Maruti’s entry has also drawn buyers who had delayed switching to electric vehicles while waiting for a familiar mass-market brand with a nationwide service footprint.

VinFast, meanwhile, has targeted the premium mid-market electric SUV segment, positioning its products as feature-rich offerings below luxury price bands. Analysts said pricing, charging-linked incentives and assured buyback programmes are helping build consumer confidence. Gupta added that the company’s EV taxi business, Limo Green, where the fleet is sourced from VinFast vehicles, is also contributing to volumes.