Gujarat Leads India's Three-Wheeler Sales in Q3 FY2025-26

Gujarat accounted for 11.7% of total three-wheeler sales across the country in the third quarter of financial year 2025-26 (October to December 2025), according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). The state edged ahead of Uttar Pradesh, which contributed 11.5% of national sales, making the gap between the two leading states one of the narrowest among all vehicle segments tracked in the same period. Maharashtra followed closely at 11.2%, placing three states within a range of less than one percentage point at the top of the rankings.

Karnataka ranked fourth with a 7.8% share, while Bihar posted 7.6%, a relatively high contribution for a state of its income profile and one that reflects the three-wheeler's prevalence as a commercial passenger carrier in smaller cities and towns across eastern India. Andhra Pradesh contributed 5.4%, followed by Assam at 5.3% — a notable figure that points to the segment's penetration in the northeastern region, where three-wheelers serve as a common form of shared urban and peri-urban transport. Tamil Nadu posted a 5.2% share, while Kerala contributed 5.0%.

In the mid-tier range, Madhya Pradesh accounted for 4.3% of national sales, and Telangana followed at 4.0%. Rajasthan contributed 3.2%, while Odisha posted 3.0%. Jharkhand and West Bengal each recorded shares of 2.8% and 2.4% respectively, reflecting modest but consistent demand from eastern India. The remaining states and union territories were grouped under an "Others" category, accounting for 9.4% of total three-wheeler sales — the lowest "Others" share among all vehicle segments tracked in the quarter, suggesting that three-wheeler demand is more evenly distributed across named states than other categories.

At the regional level, the Western Zone led national sales with 0.68 lakh units in the quarter, driven primarily by the strong performance of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The zone's dominance in this segment mirrors its position in passenger and commercial vehicle sales, reflecting the concentration of both manufacturing activity and urban commercial transport demand across western India.

The three-wheeler segment in India serves a dual purpose. On one hand, it functions as a commercial passenger carrier — the autorickshaw being the most visible form — operating in cities, towns, and rural areas as a shared or hired mode of transport. On the other, it is used for goods transportation, particularly for short-haul and last-mile freight delivery in congested urban environments where larger vehicles are impractical. This dual utility has allowed the segment to maintain a stable demand base across a wide range of geographies and income levels.

In recent years, the three-wheeler segment has also emerged as one of the faster-moving categories in India's electric vehicle transition. Several manufacturers have introduced battery-electric variants of both passenger and cargo three-wheelers, and the relatively lower upfront cost compared to four-wheeled electric vehicles has made them accessible to a broader base of commercial operators. State governments have also supported electrification in this segment through subsidies and preferential permit policies, which has contributed to rising electric three-wheeler registrations in states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of the western region.

SIAM, the apex body representing automobile manufacturers operating in India, publishes state-level retail registration data to track consumer-level demand across vehicle segments and regions. These figures are distinct from wholesale dispatch numbers reported by manufacturers and provide a clearer picture of actual market absorption at the retail end. The Q3 FY2025-26 data covers October to December 2025, a period that coincides with the post-festival months when commercial vehicle operators, including three-wheeler owners, often refresh their fleets ahead of the year-end period, contributing to seasonal demand patterns in the segment.