India's Electric Vehicle Industry Starts 2026 with Robust Performance
The new year has commenced on a remarkably strong note for India's electric vehicle sector, with total battery-electric vehicle registrations surpassing the significant milestone of 2 lakh units in January 2026. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it represents the fourth consecutive month where EV registrations have exceeded this threshold, demonstrating sustained momentum in the market.
Overall Registration Trends and Market Context
Total registrations of battery-powered vehicles across all segments reached an impressive 2.18 lakh units in January 2026. This figure shows substantial growth when compared to 1.71 lakh units recorded in January 2025 and also represents an increase from the 2.03 lakh units registered in December 2025. The consistent performance comes despite the implementation of lower GST rates on internal combustion engine vehicles since October 2025, indicating strong consumer preference for electric mobility solutions.
Electric Two-Wheeler Segment Shows Strong Momentum
The electric two-wheeler segment demonstrated particularly robust performance, with registrations climbing to approximately 1.22 lakh units in January 2026. This represents the second-highest monthly tally recorded over the past twelve months, showing significant improvement from 98,000 units in December 2025 and 98,426 units in January 2025. Industry analysts attribute this growth to easing magnet availability and improved production capabilities that have supported higher manufacturing volumes.
Within the electric two-wheeler market, TVS Motor Company maintained its leadership position with monthly e-scooter volumes reaching close to 35,000 units, specifically 34,896 units. This performance has helped widen the gap with rival Bajaj Auto, which secured the second position with 25,798 units during the same period. Other notable players included Ather Energy with 22,135 units, Hero MotoCorp with 13,436 units, and Ola Electric with 7,610 units.
Electric Passenger Vehicle Segment Experiences Growth
The electric passenger vehicle segment, encompassing both e-cars and e-SUVs, also showed positive movement with total registrations reaching 18,101 units in January 2026. This represents growth from 15,685 units in December 2025 and a significant increase from 11,895 units in January 2025. Tata Motors continued to lead this segment with sales of approximately 7,900 units, followed by JSW MG Motor with 4,622 units and Mahindra with 3,603 units.
Other manufacturers in the electric passenger vehicle space recorded sales below the 1,000-unit mark, with VinFast leading this group with 432 units sold during the month.
Electric Three-Wheeler Market Performance
The electric three-wheeler segment, which includes e-rickshaws, registered 75,764 units in January 2026. While this represents a substantial increase from the 59,930 units recorded in January 2025, it shows a decline from the 88,277 units achieved in December 2025. This fluctuation suggests varying demand patterns within the commercial electric vehicle segment.
The overall performance across all electric vehicle segments indicates a maturing market with growing consumer acceptance and improving supply chain dynamics. The consistent registration numbers above the 2 lakh mark for four consecutive months suggest that India's electric vehicle transition is gaining steady momentum despite policy changes affecting conventional vehicles.
