India’s electric passenger‑vehicle market expanded sharply in September 2026, recording 35,256 dispatched units. Compared with 21,757 units in the same month a year earlier, the market registered a robust 62% year‑on‑year increase, adding 13,499 more vehicles to the national fleet.
Top‑selling models and close competition
The September rankings were dominated by compact electric SUVs. Tata Motors secured the lead with the Tata Punch EV, which delivered 4,702 units – a 284% jump from the 1,223 units sold in September 2025. The model captured roughly 13.3% of total EV dispatches for the month.
Mahindra’s XEV 9S trailed by a narrow margin, moving 4,636 units and earning second place. The gap between the two frontrunners was only 66 vehicles, underscoring an intensely competitive top tier. Mahindra’s XEV 9S accounted for about 13.1% of the month’s total volume.
Rounding out the top three, Tata’s Nexon EV posted 3,926 deliveries, reflecting a 21% year‑on‑year rise from 3,251 units in September 2025. The Nexon’s performance kept Tata’s presence strong despite the influx of newer models.
MG Motor’s Windsor EV slipped to fourth place with 3,300 units, a 30% decline from the 4,741 units recorded a year earlier. Although the Windsor remained MG’s highest‑volume model in the supplied data, the drop highlighted the brand’s mounting pressure from domestic rivals.
Emerging models reshape the landscape
New entrants and refreshed offerings broadened the top‑ten list. Tata’s Sierra EV contributed 1,908 units, while its Curvv EV surged 309% to 1,536 units after moving up from 376 units a year before. Both models reinforced Tata’s dominance in the electric SUV segment.
Mahindra’s portfolio showed a mixed picture. The XEV 9e recorded 1,975 units, down 25% from 2,619 units in September 2025, while the BE6 managed 1,517 units, an 11% decline. Nevertheless, the XEV 9S’s strong performance more than compensated for the softer sales of older models.
Maruti Suzuki entered the top‑ten for the first time with its e Vitara, delivering 1,342 units and representing about 3.8% of the month’s total. The presence of a Maruti model signals the widening participation of established Indian manufacturers in the EV space.
Manufacturer totals and market dynamics
When aggregated across all models, Tata Motors accounted for 14,973 units, spread over seven models and reflecting a 66% increase over September 2025. The Punch EV and Nexon EV together contributed 8,628 units, or nearly 58% of Tata’s total EV dispatches.
Mahindra posted 8,547 units across five models, marking a 91% year‑on‑year surge. The XEV 9S alone supplied more than half of Mahindra’s September volume, giving the company a 24.2% share of the dataset and cementing its position as the second‑largest EV seller in the country.
MG Motor’s three models generated 4,558 units, down 26.4% from the 6,194 units recorded a year earlier. The decline was driven primarily by the Windsor’s weaker performance; however, the ZS EV managed a modest 12% rise to 280 units, keeping MG in third place among manufacturers.
International players also expanded their footprints. Vietnam’s VinFast logged 1,853 units across four models, led by the Limo Green (850 units). South Korea’s Kia contributed 1,681 units, with the Syros EV delivering 1,060 units and the Carens Clavis EV adding 621 units. China’s BYD recorded 1,137 units, with the Atto 3 and Sealion 7 together accounting for 1,049 units; the Atto 3 grew 161% and the Sealion 7 rose 145% year‑on‑year.
The top ten models alone represented 26,294 units, roughly 74.6% of the total volume captured in the dataset, indicating that a relatively small group of vehicles continues to drive the bulk of market activity.
Overall, electric SUVs and crossovers dominated the volume charts, reflecting consumer preference for higher‑ground‑clearance, city‑friendly designs. While Tata’s portfolio benefited from strong growth in both established and newer models, Mahindra’s rapid ascent, driven by the XEV 9S, suggests a tightening rivalry at the top of the market.
Analysts from Auto Punditz noted three key takeaways from the September data. First, Tata Motors retains an advantage thanks to a diversified EV lineup, but Mahindra is narrowing the gap swiftly. Second, the surge of newer models—such as the Tata Curvv, Sierra, and the Maruti e Vitara—has intensified competition and reshaped rank‑order dynamics. Third, the entry and expansion of global brands like VinFast, Kia and BYD are diversifying the market beyond the traditional domestic players.
With a 62% increase in dispatched electric passenger vehicles, September 2026 underscores the accelerating adoption of EVs in India. Yet the divergent growth trajectories of individual models highlight that success is increasingly tied to product refreshes, pricing strategies, and the ability to capture consumer interest in the crowded electric SUV segment.
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