[REVISION HISTORY]

India auto market expands SUV, EV, and cleaner-fuel segments

Updated 23 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-16 04:14 UTC → 2026-09-19 08:36 UTC · added ~~removed~~

India’s automotive industry is undergoing a structural shift toward electrification and alternative fuels. In August 2026, cleaner-fuel vehicles—including electric (EV), hybrid, and compressed natural gas (CNG) models—surpassed petrol sales for the first time. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), total vehicle registrations reached a record 2,423,201 units, a 17.51% year-on-year increase. In the passenger vehicle segment, alternative fuels captured 41.95% of the market, while petrol accounted for 40.85%. This transition is attributed to rising fuel costs and consumer concerns regarding the shift to E20 ethanol-blended petrol. CNG emerged as the primary driver at 25.28%, followed by hybrids at 9.04% and electric vehicles at 7.63%. The EV segment specifically saw a 52.9% year-on-year surge in retail sales, reaching 298,448 units. Data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) ~~further~~ highlights record wholesale levels for August 2026. Passenger vehicle sales grew by 36.5% year-on-year to 439,309 units, while ~~the~~ three-wheeler wholesales rose 22.8% and two-wheeler sales increased 10.5% to 2,034,698 units. The seven-seater segment expanded by 27.7% to 86,703 units. Within this category, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga held a 21.4% market share, while Mahindra’s Scorpio range saw a 58.3% ~~increase. Electrification is also accelerating in the commercial and two-wheeler sectors. Between January~~ increase and ~~August 2026, electric commercial vehicle registrations rose 155% year-on-year to 23,540 units, led~~ the XUV700 family grew by ~~Tata Motors with~~ 72.3%. Individual manufacturer performance remains strong. Maruti Suzuki reported a ~~33% market share.~~ 34.81% year-on-year increase in sales, with the Wagon R as its top-selling model. Additionally, ~~electric two-wheeler registrations reached a record 1.44 million~~ Mahindra announced that its XUV 3XO SUV has surpassed 250,000 units sold in ~~2026, supported by falling battery costs under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme~~ less than two and ~~increased manufacturing investment.~~ a half years, becoming the company’s fastest-selling SUV.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.