With the Indian electric passenger vehicle (e-PV) segment selling a record 215,000-plus units in the January-August 2026 period and well poised to achieve record retails of around 350,000 units in CY2026, there is plenty of market action underway in some of the key states and Union Territories in the country. Retail sales (deliveries to customers) continue to be the highest in Maharashtra, which remains the No. 1 state in India for sales of zero-emission hatchbacks, SUVs and MPVs.
Consumer demand for electric passenger vehicles jumped 80% YoY to 218,716 units in the past eight months, translating into 97,374 additional units YoY (January-August 2025; 121,322 units). This surge is reflected in the Vahan-sourced retail sales attributed to the 28 states and eight Union territories. Barring Haryana, which is the only one to register a sales decline, all the others have posted handsome growth (see comprehensive retail sales data table later in this analysis).
The Top 10 – Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh – together account for 181,294 e-PVs (up 83% YoY) and command an 83% share of all-India retail sales in January-August 2026.
Maharashtra Remains on Top, but South India Leads the Charge
The Top 10 listing is dominated by five South India states – Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. These five states registered deliveries of 84,874 e-PVs, which gives them a 39% share of countrywide retails in the first eight months of CY2026.
In the first eight months of this year, Maharashtra, which has India’s financial capital Mumbai as its leading buyer of electric passenger vehicles, has sold 31,184 units, up 52% YoY (January-August 2025: 20,564 units) for a 14% share of the all-India e-PV retails of 218,716 units. That’s not all – the rapid pace of demand this year has meant that Maharashtra has already surpassed its CY2025 sales (30,600 units). July (4,920 units) was Maharashtra’s best month this year and also its highest monthly sales yet, contributing 14% to July (34,621 units) which was India e-PV Inc’s best month.
Telangana Overtakes Karnataka to Claim No. 2 EV Ranking
Telangana has sprung a surprise. This Southern Indian state has displaced Karnataka from second podium position to be the new No. 2 with cumulative 8-month sales of 21,537 units, up 100% YoY (January-August 2025: 10,768 units). This strong showing gives it a 10% share and a two-rank jump from the No. 4 position it had a year ago. In CY2025, Telangana had sold 18,072 e-PVs.
The now third-ranked Karnataka with 20,440 units and 56% YoY growth (January-August 2025: 13,122 units) gets a 9% share.
Delhi has risen one slot year on year to take the No. 4 position. As a result of its new EV policy which came into effect from July 1, cumulative eight-month retail sales grew 120% YoY to 19,875 units (January-August 2025: 9,045 units) which give India’s capital a 9% share of the e-PV sales in CY2026 YTD. In fact, August sales (3,399 units) are its highest monthly sales yet. As per the Delhi EV policy, eligible buyers purchasing an e-PV priced up to Rs 30 lakh after scrapping an eligible older vehicle could receive a benefit of up to Rs 100,000. EVs also continue to be exempt from road tax and registration charges in Delhi.
Tamil Nadu, which saw 17,985 e-PV buyers drive home a zero-emission vehicle in the past eight months, posted a 102% YoY increase (January-August 2025: 8,896 units) for an 8% share of all-India sales. This performance gives it the fifth rank, up from the No. 6 it had a year ago.
Just 347 units behind Tamil Nadu is Kerala (17,638 units) saw sales rise 43% YoY (January-August 2025: 12,361 units) albeit its slower rate of growth compared to the higher-ranked states mean that its ranking has fallen three positions from the No. 3 it had a year ago.
Gujarat (15,608 units) comes in at seventh position with strong 139% YoY growth (January-August 2025: 6,539 units), moving up two ranks year on year.
Rajasthan maintains its eighth rank with sales of 15,423 units, up 134% YoY (January-August 2025: 6,579 units).
Uttar Pradesh (14,330 units) registered a YoY increase of 74% (January-August 2025: 8,238 units) to be ranked ninth, albeit this is two ranks down on its No. 7 position a year ago.
Tenth rank belongs to Andhra Pradesh (7,274 units), up 154% on the 2,862 e-PVs sold there in the year-ago period. Andhra Pradesh’s CY2026 YTD ranking has risen three positions from the No. 13 it had in the year-ago period.
Electric Car and SUV Makers Scout Untapped Markets to Spur Growth in Record-setting CY2026
In a value-conscious and ultra-competitive market like India, automobile manufacturers are always on the lookout to tap new untapped markets and regions. In fact, other than the metro cities which continue to be strong buyers of e-PVs, demand for electric cars is growing in Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities as a result of the expanding EV charging infrastructure.
With the festive season having begun this month with Janmashtami (September 4) and Ganesh Chaturthi (September 14) and continuing in October-November which have Navratri, Durga Puja and Diwali, expect electric PV OEMs to put their shoulder to the wheel and ramp up manufacturing to cater to surging customer demand. The four-month September-December 2026 period should bring in additional sales of 135,000 to 150,000 units, which means CY2026 e-PV retails could reach a record 350,000 units, surpassing the 300,000 annual sales milestone for the first time.
Given the intense competition in the electric passenger vehicle market, particularly the top three OEMs (Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, JSW MG Motor India), and the entry of Maruti Suzuki with its e-Vitara and Toyota Kirloskar Motor with its Urban Cruiser eBella, this state- and UT-wise e-PV retail sales data for the past eight months offers clues aplenty as to just where the consumer demand is currently emanating from as well as the regions which have potential to grow.
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