Historic Surge in the Indian Electric Vehicle Market
The Indian automotive market witnessed an extraordinary and record-breaking month for the electric passenger vehicle segment. Across the domestic market, various automakers collectively sold more than 35,000 electric vehicles. According to industry data, all-electric passenger vehicle sales reached 35,048 units in September 2026. When compared to the same period last year, this translates to a massive year-on-year growth of approximately 95.4 percent. In September of the previous year, the combined sales of all companies stood at a modest 17,932 units.
On a monthly basis as well, the sector continues to show strong positive momentum. Compared to August, sales registered a 10.3 percent increase in September, up from 31,769 units. Industry experts believe that the onset of the festive season and a strong consumer shift toward electric mobility are the primary drivers behind this phenomenal growth. Notably, the top three best-selling brands alone accounted for 27,816 car sales during this period.
Tata Motors and Mahindra Maintain Strong Leadership
In the domestic electric car market, Tata Motors successfully retained its dominant leadership position. The company retailed 14,792 electric cars in September, marking a stellar 100.7 percent jump compared to the previous year when it sold 7,369 units. On a monthly basis, Tata registered a 7 percent growth over August's 13,825 units. Currently, Tata Motors holds a commanding 42.2 percent market share in the Indian EV segment.
Meanwhile, Mahindra & Mahindra has solidified its presence as the undisputed runner-up. Mahindra retailed 7,782 electric cars to the market, achieving an annual growth rate of 95.9 percent compared to 3,973 units sold in September last year. The company's monthly sales also saw a 14 percent jump. Recently, Mahindra's Born Electric car sales crossed the major milestone of 1 lakh units, underscoring its technological prowess.
Strong Show by JSW-MG and VinFast
Following the top two giants, JSW-MG maintained its third position with 5,242 electric cars sold in September. The company had sold 4,803 units in September 2025, marking a steady year-on-year growth of 9.1 percent. JSW-MG continues to attract buyers with its feature-rich and competitively priced electric offerings.
At the fourth spot, newer entrant VinFast made waves by retailing 2,964 electric cars this September, a dramatic turnaround from the mere 6 units sold in the same month last year. Such exponential growth demonstrates that Indian consumers are readily embracing emerging global brands in the EV ecosystem.
Kia Motors Disrupts the Top 5 While Maruti Suzuki Slips
The biggest upset of the month came from Kia Motors. Bolstered by the successful introduction of the new Syros EV, Kia climbed up to the fifth position, selling 1,263 electric cars in September 2026—a massive 111.2 percent growth from 598 units sold in September 2025.
Conversely, the country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki slipped down to the sixth position, dropping out of the top 5 with 1,104 electric vehicles sold. While the gap between Kia and Maruti remains narrow, Kia's aggressive portfolio expansion successfully outpaced traditional players for the month.
"The Indian automotive sector is undergoing a massive transformation toward electric mobility. With increasing consumer demand and continuous new model launches, the competition is set to intensify further in the coming months." — Automotive Expert, The FreeLance
