Electric vehicle sales gain speed as costlier fuel and better infrastructure drive adoption

Mumbai/Bengaluru: Electric car and two-wheeler sales gathered fresh momentum in June, with e-cars growing at a fast clip, as a wider choice of models, higher fuel prices, improving charging infrastructure and growing consumer confidence accelerated the shift towards cleaner mobility.

Vehicle registration data from the government's Vahan portal, covering the top 10 manufacturers in both segments, showed e-two-wheeler registrations surged 62% year-on-year to 170,426 units in June. E-car registrations, however, more than doubled to 30,454 units, signalling that the transition to electric mobility is firmly underway.

The momentum extended through the June quarter. Registrations by the top 10 e-carmakers surged 89% year-on-year to 82,737 units, comfortably outpacing the 63.6% growth recorded by the top 10 e-two-wheeler makers at 480,373 units.

The continued growth in e-car sales is driven by a broader choice of models, particularly SUVs, alongside improving charging networks, elevated fuel prices and growing consumer confidence. E-two-wheelers, while continuing to grow strongly, are entering a more mature phase after several years of rapid adoption, with demand increasingly driven by replacement purchases rather than first-time buyers.

According to Shailesh Chandra, managing director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, the numbers reflect a structural shift rather than a temporary spike. Monthly e-car sales are touching new highs "as buyers become more comfortable with charging infrastructure, battery warranties and a wider choice of products. Multiple manufacturers entering the segment have also strengthened consumer confidence that electric mobility is here to stay," he said.

Among e-two-wheelers, TVS Motor retained its leadership during the quarter with 127,763 registrations, up 74%, followed by Bajaj Auto with 114,670 units (73% growth). Ather Energy recorded 86,465 registrations, up 95%, while Hero MotoCorp posted the fastest growth among the top five, with registrations jumping 156% to 55,373 units. Ola Electric was the only major manufacturer to report a decline, with registrations falling 29% to 42,671 units.

In e-cars, Tata Motors and Mahindra emerged as the biggest gainers, with both nearly doubling registrations during the quarter. Tata retained its leadership with over 32,000 units, while Mahindra crossed the 20,000-unit mark.

JSW MG Motor India, however, grew just 22% to 16,502 units, causing its market share to shrink to 20% from 31% a year earlier as rivals gained ground.