Despite a late entry into the electric car market, India’s largest passenger car maker Maruti Suzuki has broken into the country's top five electric passenger vehicle makers by sales in the domestic market during this calendar and financial year. The automaker is now ahead of Hyundai, Kia, VinFast and BYD.
After unveiling its first battery-electric vehicle, the e Vitara, at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, Maruti Suzuki began selling the model in February this year. It was one of the last traditional ICE mass car makers to enter the EV race in India.
In the January-May period, the automaker has sold 4,365 electric cars, surpassing VinFast, which sold 4,133 units, as well as BYD, Hyundai and Kia, whose sales stood at 2,441 units, 2,333 units and 2,024 units, respectively, during the calendar year.
The sales of electric passenger vehicles in India have been on a strong growth path in last two months. Rising fuel costs, better charging infrastructure and a broader selection of electric models are drawing more buyers to the market.
In the first two months of the current financial year [April and May], electric passenger vehicle registrations rose 77% to 52,274 units, with EV penetration reaching 6.4% in May. Tata Motors and M&M are the top two players, together holding around 60% of the market share, followed by JSW MG and Maruti Suzuki.
Higher registrations reflect the strengthening demand for battery-powered vehicles as automakers roll out new models and buyers increasingly weigh lifetime ownership costs against conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.
Maruti Suzuki's electric vehicle lineup currently comprises only the e Vitara. Hyundai Motor India, by comparison, markets the Creta Electric and the Ioniq 5 after discontinuing the Kona Electric in June last year due to weak demand.
VinFast, which entered India last September, sells three models — the VF 7, VF 6 and MPV 7. Its parent, Vingroup, is expected to launch an electric ride-hailing service in India this week using VinFast vehicles, potentially creating an additional source of demand for the automaker.
Meanwhile, market leaders Tata Motors and M&M offer a broader range of EVs, with about half a dozen models each. Tata broadened its portfolio recently with the launch of the Harrier EV and an updated Punch EV, and last week refreshed the Tiago EV, while M&M launched the XEV 9e and BE 6.
Maruti Suzuki’s quick starter in the EV space reflects strong brand recall, an extensive dealership and service network, and investments in charging infrastructure. The company is setting up 100,000 public and private EV charging points by 2030 as part of its electric mobility strategy.
It has tied up with 13 charge-point operators and has installed more than 2,000 exclusive charging points across 1,100 cities. The automaker is offering an assured buyback program and Battery as a Service (BaaS) and subscription model for eVitara in a bid to address resale value concerns and higher initial acquisition cost.
Maruti Suzuki’s management indicated that supply constraints are limiting the sales of eVitara. While speaking to reporters after announcing the May sales results, the management noted that demand for the e-Vitara has strengthened in recent weeks, with bookings exceeding 4,000 units in the past month.
The company said bookings have nearly doubled, but supply remains constrained due to limited production capacity. The automaker plans to raise the capacity from August or September; until then, e-Vitara production is expected to remain around 2,000 units a month, limiting its ability to meet growing demand.
Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki has exported over 35,000 units of e-Vitara across 46 countries since September last year, and is now the automaker’s third-largest export model after Fronx and Jimny. Maruti Suzuki also manufactures its rebadge version for e-Vitara for Toyota, which will be sold as Urban Cruiser eBella.