India, which ranks amongst the fastest growing markets for electric vehicles, has topped global electric 3-wheeler retail sales for the third year in a row. This confirmation comes from the latest Global EV Outlook 2026 report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The report states that China, the world's largest electric vehicle market, registered e-3W sales of around 290,000 units in CY2025, down 3% YoY (CY2024: 300,000 units), continuing a trend that began in CY2022. This is far less than India, which clocked record retail sales of 801,431 e-3Ws last year, up 15% YoY (CY2024: 695,278 units).
According to the IEA, sales of 3Ws (ICE and EV) declined globally in CY2025 to around 4.5 million units, down 16% from CY2024. However, electric 3W sales increased to more than 1.2 million, resulting in a sales share of more than 25% in CY2025.
In its Global EV Outlook 2026 report, the IEA states: “In India, momentum in electric 3W sales continued to build, with sales rising by 15% from 2024 to almost 800,000 vehicles. Electric 3Ws now capture almost 70% of all sales in the country, primarily displacing compressed natural gas models. Despite subsidies for 3Ws having been reduced under the PM E-DRIVE policy compared with the FAME II scheme, adoption has not slowed. Support for electric 3Ws under the scheme was initially expected to run until March 2026, but has been extended to 2028. Funds for models in the L5 category had been fully exhausted by December 2025, but allocations for e-rickshaws and e-carts remain available. As a result, electric 3Ws became the first mode of transport to reach the government’s deployment target of around 290,000, despite representing only 10% of the overall target number of vehicles.”
In CY2025, India had a commanding 67% share of global e-3W sales, considerably ahead of China with its 24% share last year. Turkiye, which sold an estimated 48,000 units is the third largest. Together, these three countries account for more than 95% of all e-3W sales of the highly concentrated electric 3W market.
In Europe, the electric 3W sales share reached more than 80%, continuing a rapid increase started in 2023. Turkiye accounts for around 95% of the 115,000 electric 3Ws sold in the region and is the key engine of growth. Five years ago, sales of 3Ws (ICE and electric) in Turkiye stood at around 6,000 units, but by CY2025, sales of electric 3Ws had grown to more than 100,000 units. By contrast, sales of conventional 3Ws decreased by more than 40% over the same period.
In India, the e-3W segment continues to witness the highest level of transition to e-mobility, compared to two-wheelers or passenger vehicles and was a strong contributor to the record 2.27 million EVs sold in the country last year. In CY2025, e-3Ws had a 60% share of the overall 3W market (13,64,591 units) compared to 57% in CY2024 and 53% in CY2023. In comparison, demand for CNG 3Ws has slowed down – 329,841 units in CY2025, down 6% YoY (CY2024: 351,115 units). Year on year, too, the CNG share of overall 3W sales in India has dropped to 24% in CY2025 compared to 28% in CY2024 and 31% in CY2023.
Over 270,000 Electric 3ws Sold in India in First 4 Months of Cy2026
The e-three-wheeler sub-segment, which comprises passenger-transporting e-rickshaws and cargo-carrying three-wheelers in India, continues to witness strong double-digit growth thanks to sustained demand for passenger transportation and from last-mile operators for e-commerce applications, food deliveries and other applications.
In the first four months of this year, 270,893 e-3W have been delivered to buyers, up 15% YoY (January-April 2025: 235,907 units). The incentive to buy an electric three-wheeler in India remains strong, particularly in view of the lower cost of ownership (compared to IC engine, CNG and LPG options) as well as the current West Asia crisis, which has already seen petrol and diesel prices rise twice within a week this month.
Similar to the Indian e-two-wheeler industry, there’s fierce competition too in this segment, which has over 600 players. However, India e-3W Inc’s performance continues to be powered by three legacy OEMs – Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Co – along with a few other companies like YC Electric, Saera Auto, Dilli Electric Auto and Piaggio. The e-3W segment is currently witnessing a shakeout as legacy OEMs (Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor Co, Kinetic Group, Atul Auto, Piaggio Vehicles, Omega Seiki, Bajaj Auto, Murugappa Group) are making a strong impact with better-built and safer products and grabbing market share.
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