Kia Overtakes Maruti and Tesla Climbs as India EV Sales Reach Record 35,995 Units in September
India's electric passenger vehicle market reached a historic milestone in September 2026, recording 35,995 retail registrations and marking the fourth consecutive month where registrations surpassed the 30,000 threshold. Vahan registration data analyzed by Nuvama and reported by Autocar Professional highlights significant shifts across mainstream and luxury segments, taking total electric vehicle sales for the first half of fiscal year 2027 to 190,946 units.
Tata Motors maintained its dominant market leadership position by registering 14,769 units, translating to a 41.03 percent market share and a 101 percent year-on-year growth rate. Mahindra and Mahindra followed strongly in second place with 7,779 units and a 21.61 percent market share, while JSW MG Motor India secured third position with 5,242 registrations. Meanwhile, VinFast India captured fourth place with 2,963 units, marking its highest monthly volume since entering the domestic market.
Kia Surpasses Maruti Suzuki in Mainstream Volume
Among volume manufacturers, Kia India outpaced Maruti Suzuki by recording 1,263 EV registrations in September, securing a 3.50 percent market share. This performance pushed Kia ahead of Maruti Suzuki, which registered 1,103 units to account for a 3.06 percent share, representing a 25 percent decline from its August volume of 1,472 units.
Kia's upward momentum was driven by portfolio expansion into the accessible electric vehicle segment. Available since July, the Syros EV carries an ex-showroom price ranging from Rs 13.50 lakh to Rs 20 lakh and provides 42 kWh alongside 51.4 kWh battery choices that deliver a maximum estimated travel distance of up to 526 kilometers. While Kia also offers the Carens Clavis EV alongside imported models like the EV6 and EV9, detailed model-wise sales breakdowns for September were not disclosed.
Domestic e-Vitara sales have been constrained because production was largely allocated for exports. This export focus is anticipated to shift with the opening of a new manufacturing line at the Hansalpur plant in Gujarat.
Tesla Ascends to Second in Luxury Segment
Luxury electric vehicle registrations also reached a record high of 975 units in September, up 60 percent from 608 units during the same period last year. BMW India retained leadership of the luxury electric sector with 502 units sold, capturing a 51.48 percent market share.
Tesla recorded its highest-ever monthly sales in India with 291 units of the Model Y, representing a 322 percent surge compared to 69 units in September 2025 and a 149 percent increase over August. This performance allowed Tesla to capture 29.84 percent of the luxury electric vehicle market, overtaking Mercedes-Benz India, which registered 125 units and held a 0.34 percent overall market share.
BMW India led the luxury electric vehicle market in September by selling 502 units. This performance gave BMW a 51 percent market share for the month.
Network Expansion and H1 Growth Trajectory
Ever since entering the market, Tesla has kept growing its local presence by surpassing a combined total of 1,017 Model Y handovers during the period spanning from September 2025 until October 2, 2026. The company recently opened its sixth showroom and service facility in Chennai, adding to existing outlets across Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Charging infrastructure has expanded to include seven dedicated stations with 20 Superchargers and 24 Destination Chargers.
Tesla's sales acceleration in India followed an end-June 2026 price cut of ₹900,000 on the Model Y, which catalyzed 554 customer deliveries between July and October 2, representing 54% of its cumulative sales in the country. Tesla surpassed the milestone of 1,017 Model Y deliveries in India, opening its sixth facility in Chennai and expanding charging infrastructure to seven stations with 20 Superchargers.
The combined performance across all manufacturers in September brought the cumulative total for the first half of FY2027 to 190,946 electric passenger vehicles, reflecting an 88 percent expansion over the corresponding period in the previous fiscal year. This six-month tally stands 29,971 units shy of the full-year FY2026 total of 220,917 units.