Electric car sales in India nearly doubled in September 2026. According to retail data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), reported by India Today and Autocar Professional on 7 October 2026, 36,108 electric passenger vehicles were registered last month, up 94.56% from 18,559 in September 2025. EVs took 8.5% of all passenger-vehicle retail, which works out to roughly one in every 12 new cars sold in India.
Key facts
| 1 | September 2026 e-PV retail (FADA): 36,108 units, up 94.56% year on year and 17.63% month on month (30,696 in August). |
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| 2 | EV share of passenger-vehicle retail: 8.5%, against 7.6% in August 2026 and 5.7% in September 2025. |
| 3 | Overall market: FADA's press release of 6 October puts total passenger-vehicle retail at 4,27,213 units, a best-ever September. |
| 4 | Fuel mix: EVs were 8.45% of September PV retail, alongside CNG at 23.11% and hybrids at 9.44%, per the FADA release. |
Who is winning India's EV race
FADA's brand table, as published by India Today, shows Tata still well ahead, but the chasing pack is growing.
| Brand | September 2026 EV retail |
|---|---|
| Tata | 14,791 |
| Mahindra | 7,780 |
| JSW MG | 5,242 |
| VinFast | 2,964 |
| Kia | 1,262 |
| Maruti Suzuki | 1,104 |
| BYD | 836 |
| Hyundai | 792 |
| BMW | 502 |
| Tesla | 291 |
The standout is VinFast. It retailed just six EVs in September 2025, when its India operations were in their early stages, and 2,964 this September, up from 2,199 in August. Autocar Professional, using Vahan data, also reports best-ever months for Tata, VinFast, Kia (helped by the Syros EV launched in August), Toyota and Tesla, and a record 975 units for luxury EVs.
Why totals differ between sources
You may see a different September total elsewhere. Vahan-based counts for the month range from 33,745 to 36,108, because compilers such as FADA, Autocar Professional and Nuvama use different filters and download dates. Autocar Professional's Vahan count, for example, is 35,995, and the Nuvama count reported on 1 October is 35,948 with an 8.3% share. All of them point the same way: roughly double last year. In this article we quote FADA's figure of 36,108 unless stated otherwise.
What is holding EVs back
Demand is not the only story. FADA's president told Business Standard (6 October 2026) that imported components, especially batteries, and shipping are limiting EV availability, with some manufacturers reporting freight costs up two to three times. Festive buyers who will not wait may switch to petrol or CNG. Policy is also neutral for private car buyers: the government's PM E-DRIVE scheme, extended to 31 March 2028 with an outlay of ₹11,900 crore according to a PIB factsheet dated 1 October 2026, offers no purchase subsidy for private electric cars. EVs continue to attract 5% GST.
What it means for buyers in India
A rising share means more choice, more used EVs over time and more pressure on brands to sharpen pricing. Tata, for instance, has extended its battery rental (BaaS) option across its EV range, and some festive offers on EVs are larger than those on petrol cars. But availability may be tight for some models this festive season.
| 1 | Ask the dealer for a written delivery date, not just a booking date, especially for popular EVs. |
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| 2 | Check whether the variant you want is in stock in your city before paying a booking amount. |
| 3 | Compare the on-road price, not only the ex-showroom figure, as state road tax on EVs varies. |
| 4 | Plan charging first: home charging access matters more than headline range. |
Bottom line
September 2026 was a landmark month for electric cars in India, with FADA counting 36,108 sales and an 8.5% share. Tata remains the clear leader, Mahindra and MG are consolidating, and VinFast has gone from almost nothing to fourth place in a year. Supply, not demand, may be the bigger constraint over the festive period. Follow the CarvoltX blog for October's numbers once FADA releases them.
