Electric passenger vehicle (EV) retail in India recorded 23,506 units in April 2026, marking a 4.52% month-on-month increase from 22,490 units in March 2026 and a 75.14% year-on-year rise from 13,421 units in April 2025, according to data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). The data, collated on May 3, 2026, covers 1,463 of 1,466 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the country, with Telangana excluded from the current reporting cycle.
The numbers represent one of the stronger April performances the segment has seen, with month-on-month growth sustained despite April typically being a softer month for automobile retail following the year-end push in March. The fact that sequential growth held positive is being viewed by industry observers as an indication of underlying demand rather than a calendar-driven spike.
The segment's share of total passenger vehicle retail stood at 5.8% in April 2026, up from 5.1% in March 2026 and significantly higher than the 3.7% recorded in April 2025. The consistent upward movement in penetration rate over a twelve-month period points to a structural shift in consumer preference, even if the absolute numbers still leave considerable room for growth relative to overall passenger vehicle volumes.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd retained its position at the top of the electric passenger vehicle segment by a considerable margin, retailing 8,543 units in April 2026. This represented a 3.51% increase over the 8,253 units recorded in March 2026 and a substantial 77.17% jump compared to 4,822 units in April 2025. Tata Motors, which was among the earliest manufacturers to commit seriously to an electric-first product strategy in the mass market, continues to benefit from an established lineup and a wide service and charging network that provides some reassurance to first-time EV buyers.
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd held the second position with 5,413 units, up 3.24% from 5,243 units in March 2026 and 63.98% higher than the 3,301 units it retailed in April 2025. The company's electric SUV offerings have found traction particularly in urban markets, and its year-on-year growth trajectory suggests its newer models have successfully converted consideration into purchases.
JSW MG Motor India Pvt Ltd came in third with 5,006 units, recording a marginal month-on-month decline of 2.63% from 5,141 units in March, though it remained 32.54% above the 3,777 units retailed in April 2025. The company's EV portfolio, which spans multiple price points, has helped it maintain a consistent presence in the top three, though the slight month-on-month softening may reflect some post-March normalisation in retail activity.
Together, the three leading manufacturers — Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and JSW MG Motor — accounted for approximately 80% of total electric passenger vehicle retail in April 2026, underlining the degree to which the segment remains concentrated at the top even as new entrants expand the competitive landscape.
New Entrants and Mass-Market Players Gather Momentum
Among the more notable developments in April 2026 was the performance of manufacturers that either entered the EV segment recently or significantly scaled up their volumes. VinFast Auto India Pvt Ltd and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, both of which have no recorded retail figure for April 2025 — indicating either a negligible presence or no commercial launch in the EV segment at that point — posted 1,232 and 1,231 units respectively in April 2026.
VinFast's April 2026 tally represented a 78.29% month-on-month increase over the 691 units it retailed in March 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing manufacturers in the segment on a sequential basis. The Vietnamese automaker, which entered the Indian market with a focus on competitive pricing and a direct sales model, appears to be gaining traction relatively quickly within a short retail window.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, the country's largest passenger vehicle manufacturer by overall volume, reported 1,231 units in April 2026, up 29.72% from 949 units in March 2026. The company's entry into the electric passenger vehicle space was long-anticipated given its dominant position in the broader market, and early retail data suggests it is building momentum, though it remains well behind the top three in absolute numbers.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd retailed 516 units, a 8.40% month-on-month increase from 476 units in March 2026. However, the figure represents a 30.92% decline compared to the 747 units it sold in April 2025, suggesting some loss of share in a segment that has grown considerably around it. BYD India Private Limited posted 469 units, growing 13.29% month-on-month from 414 units in March and 17.84% year-on-year from 398 units in April 2025. The Chinese manufacturer continues to operate in the premium end of the mass-market EV space and has maintained steady, if unspectacular, growth.
Premium and Luxury Segment Shows Divergent Trends
The premium and luxury EV segment presented a more mixed picture in April 2026, with some manufacturers recording strong year-on-year growth even as monthly figures fluctuated.
Kia India Private Limited retailed 342 units in April 2026, down 25.33% from 458 units in March 2026, but posting a striking 905.88% increase year-on-year compared to just 34 units in April 2025. The dramatic year-on-year figure is largely a reflection of the low base from which the comparison is made, but it does indicate that Kia's electric offering has established a firmer retail presence over the past twelve months.
BMW India Pvt Ltd sold 300 units in April 2026, a 31.35% decline from 437 units in March 2026, though the year-on-year comparison remains strongly positive at 108.33% over the 144 units recorded in April 2025. The monthly dip likely reflects the concentration of luxury vehicle purchases around the financial year-end in March, a pattern that commonly results in softer April numbers for premium brands.
Mercedes-Benz AG retailed 104 units in April 2026, a 7.22% increase over 97 units in March 2026 and a 19.54% gain over the 87 units it posted in April 2025. For a manufacturer operating at the very top of the price spectrum, its consistency across months is notable.
Volvo Auto India Pvt Ltd sold 41 units, recording the steepest month-on-month growth rate among all manufacturers at 86.36% over the 22 units it retailed in March 2026, though it remained 6.82% below its April 2025 figure of 44 units.
Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt Ltd retailed 43 units in April 2026, a 12.24% decline from 49 units in March 2026. With no April 2025 comparable available, the year-on-year picture remains incomplete, though the month-on-month trend warrants attention given the brand's global profile and relatively modest Indian retail volumes to date.
Stellantis Automobiles India Pvt Ltd posted 25 units in April 2026, declining 16.67% month-on-month from 30 units in March and 50.98% year-on-year from 51 units in April 2025, making it one of the few manufacturers to record a contraction on both timeframes. The residual category of other manufacturers collectively retailed 241 units, up 4.78% month-on-month and a sharp 1,406.25% year-on-year, though the latter figure is distorted by a very low base of 16 units in April 2025.
India's electric passenger vehicle segment has been on a consistent upward trajectory over the past year, supported by an expanding product portfolio across multiple price points, a gradually improving public charging infrastructure, and government-level policy support. The PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement scheme, along with state-level incentives in several large markets, has provided some demand-side support, though industry participants have noted that underlying product improvement and price competitiveness have been equally important drivers of adoption.
The near-doubling of retail volumes on a year-on-year basis across multiple consecutive months indicates that growth is not isolated to a single quarter or a one-time product launch effect. The entry of established mass-market players such as Maruti Suzuki and VinFast into meaningful retail volumes has also broadened the competitive field, which is expected to intensify pressure on pricing and features over the medium term.
At 5.8%, the electric passenger vehicle penetration rate in India remains well below that of leading EV markets such as China and Norway, as well as some European nations. However, the rate of change — from 3.7% in April 2025 to 5.8% in April 2026 — within a single year suggests the segment is moving through its adoption curve at a pace that is beginning to attract more serious attention from manufacturers who had previously maintained a wait-and-watch posture.
FADA collects retail registration data directly from RTOs, making it a more accurate reflection of actual consumer purchases than wholesale dispatch data reported by manufacturers, which can be influenced by inventory build-up at the dealer level.