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    Electric car sales September 2026: record 35,948 registrations, 8.3% share

    Quick Summary

    • India registered 35,948 electric cars in September 2026, up 94% on September 2025 and a monthly record.

    • Electric cars took about 8.3% of passenger vehicle registrations.

    • Tata led with 14,722 (41%), Mahindra 7,741 (21.5%) and JSW MG 5,226 (14.5%).

    • MG grew 9% in a market that grew 94%; its share fell from about 26% a year earlier (our calculation from Vahan).

    • VinFast registered 2,961, up from 6 a year earlier, and passed Kia's 1,256 for fourth place.

    • Dashboard readings taken at different times on 1 October 2026 ranged from 35,866 to 35,995; all figures are registrations, not factory dispatches.

    Rahul ShonakPublished On 5 October 2026, 19:34 IST7 min read1 read
    Bar graph of Indian car brand sales, representative image for the September 2026 EV sales story

    Electric car sales September 2026: record 35,948 registrations, 8.3% share

    Electric cars took about 8.3% of India's passenger vehicle registrations in September 2026, the highest share yet. The Vahan dashboard counted 35,948 electric cars for the month, up 94% on September 2025, and the gains were far from evenly spread.

    Tata and Mahindra roughly doubled. MG barely grew. A Vietnamese brand that registered six cars a year earlier finished fourth. The full table, and what sits behind it, is below; our EV sales tracker keeps the month-by-month series.

    September 2026 electric car registrations by brand

    Brand

    September 2026

    Change on Sept 2025

    Share

    Tata Motors

    14,722

    +100%

    41.0%

    Mahindra

    7,741

    +116%

    21.5%

    JSW MG Motor

    5,226

    +9%

    14.5%

    VinFast

    2,961

    From 6 units

    8.2%

    Kia

    1,256

    +110%

    3.5%

    Maruti Suzuki

    1,095

    New entrant

    3.0%

    BYD

    831

    Not published

    2.3%

    Hyundai

    789

    +95%

    2.2%

    BMW

    501

    Not published

    1.4%

    Tesla

    279

    Not published

    0.8%

    Total electric cars

    35,948

    +94%

    100%

    Vahan registration data, read on 1 October 2026. Shares for brands below Kia are our calculation from the same figures. Registrations are retail; they will not match manufacturers' wholesale dispatch figures.

    Vahan moves after the month closes

    Reads of the same dashboard taken at different times on 1 October 2026 ranged from 35,866 to 35,995 electric cars, because registrations keep landing for days. The differences are under 0.4%. Vahan also counts registrations, not sales, so a car invoiced on 30 September and registered on 2 October falls into October.

    What changed in September

    The top two pulled further ahead. Tata's 14,722 was its highest month on Vahan, and Mahindra's 7,741 was up 14% on August. Together they took 62.5% of the market. Our pieces on Tata's September EV numbers and Mahindra's 1,00,000 Electric Origin milestone go into each.

    MG is the outlier. Its 5,226 registrations were up 9% on September 2025, in a market that grew 94%. On our calculation from Vahan, MG held about 26% of electric car registrations a year earlier; it now holds 14.5%. MG's own wholesale figure for September was 8,018 across all fuels, so the slowdown is specific to its EVs. Our report on MG's EV share and the Tomahawk EV looks at why.

    Choosing between the top three EV brands? Get a free expert callback

    The new names in the table

    VinFast registered 2,961 cars, against six in September 2025, and finished fourth ahead of Kia. A year after it opened its Thoothukudi plant, it is selling more electric cars a month in India than Hyundai, Kia and BYD. Our VinFast September analysis covers the plant and the product plan behind that number.

    Kia's 1,256 was its best month and took it past Maruti Suzuki, whose 1,095 was down 26% on August. Hyundai sold its most cars ever in September across all fuels, yet registered only 789 electric ones; we cover that gap separately. Tesla's 279 and BMW's 501 led the luxury end.

    Should you read anything into one month?

    Partly. September carries pre-festive buying, so a single month can flatter, and year-on-year growth from a small base always looks large. The share figure is the one to watch: 8.3% is a level, not a spike, and it has risen steadily through 2026. ThatsMyEV will set October against it once the festive month closes.

    The ThatsmyEV Take

    India's electric car market is now a two-brand market with a long tail. Tata and Mahindra took 62.5% of September's registrations between them, and everyone else is fighting over the remaining 37.5%. That concentration matters for buyers, because it is where the service networks, resale data and charging partnerships are deepest.

    What decides the next year is whether the challengers can scale. VinFast has shown a new entrant can reach about 3,000 registrations in a month within its first year. MG has shown that a strong position can erode fast when the product range stops moving, even with a big launch arriving. Kia and Hyundai have the factories and have not yet used them for EVs.

    Our advice, as of 3 October 2026: for a first EV, shortlist from the top three and use the challengers as price leverage. If a VinFast or Kia fits better, check the service centre nearest you before you book, because that, not the car, is where newer brands still trail.

    Want help reading the numbers for your shortlist? Ask a TMEV expert on WhatsApp

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many electric cars were sold in India in September 2026?

    The Vahan dashboard counted 35,948 electric car registrations in September 2026, up 94% on September 2025 and a monthly record. Reads taken at different times on 1 October 2026 ranged from 35,866 to 35,995 as late registrations landed.

    Which brand sold the most electric cars in September 2026?

    Tata Motors, with 14,722 registrations and a 41% share, according to Vahan. Mahindra was second with 7,741 and JSW MG Motor third with 5,226.

    What is India's electric car market share in September 2026?

    Electric cars made up about 8.3% of passenger vehicle registrations in September 2026, on Vahan data. That is the highest monthly share so far, though some reports put it slightly higher depending on the total used.

    Did VinFast overtake Kia in EV sales?

    Yes. VinFast registered 2,961 electric cars in September 2026 against Kia's 1,256, according to Vahan, taking fourth place. A year earlier, VinFast registered six cars in India.

    How many electric cars did MG sell in September 2026?

    JSW MG Motor registered 5,226 electric cars in September 2026, up 9% year on year, on Vahan data. Its share of electric car registrations fell to 14.5%, from about 26% a year earlier on our calculation.

    How many electric cars did Mahindra sell in September 2026?

    Mahindra registered 7,741 electric cars in September 2026, up 116% on a year earlier and 14% on August, according to Vahan. That gave it a 21.5% share, second behind Tata.

    Why do EV sales figures differ between reports?

    Two reasons. Vahan keeps updating after the month ends, so a read on the 1st differs from one a few days later. And manufacturers report wholesale dispatches to dealers, while Vahan counts registrations to buyers, so the two never match exactly.

    How many electric cars did Tesla sell in India in September 2026?

    Tesla registered 279 cars in September 2026, according to Vahan. BMW registered 501 electric cars, the most among luxury brands.

    Sources

    Vahan registration dashboard, electric passenger vehicle and total passenger vehicle counts for September 2026, read on 1 October 2026; year-on-year comparisons against September 2025 from the same source. JSW MG Motor India September 2026 sales announcement, 1 October 2026. Market shares beyond the top five and MG's year-ago share are our calculations.

    EV sales September 2026
    electric car sales India
    Vahan EV registrations
    Tata EV sales
    Mahindra EV sales
    MG EV sales
    VinFast India sales
    EV market share India

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