India EV Sales September 2026: Tata Leads, Mahindra Gains

The Tata Punch EV emerged as September’s highest-dispatched electric car, recording 4,702 units against 1,223 units in the corresponding month last year. This represents growth of approximately 284%.

Mahindra’s XEV 9S finished second with 4,636 units, just 66 units behind the Punch EV. The Tata Nexon EV occupied third position with 3,926 units, up 20.8% from 3,251 units a year earlier.

The MG Windsor EV ranked fourth with 3,300 units, down 30.4% from 4,741 units.

Mahindra’s XEV 9S, meanwhile, has quickly become a significant contributor to the manufacturer’s electric vehicle volumes.

MG Motor dispatched 4,558 electric passenger vehicles in September, compared with 6,194 units a year earlier, a decline of 26.4%.

The Windsor EV accounted for much of the weakness, with dispatches falling to 3,300 units from 4,741 units. The MG Comet EV also declined, by approximately 18.7%, to 978 units from 1,203 units. The MG ZS EV was the exception, growing 12% to 280 units.

MG retained third position among manufacturers, with a 12.9% share of the reported dataset.

VahanWarta analysis: The decline is notable because the overall market expanded by 62%. However, dispatch data alone cannot establish whether the reduction reflects weaker consumer demand, inventory adjustments, changes in production or other operational factors. Retail registrations, dealer inventory and subsequent monthly trends would help determine the underlying cause.

September’s rankings also illustrate how the electric passenger vehicle market is becoming more diversified.

VinFast recorded 1,853 dispatches, compared with 376 units a year earlier. Kia reached 1,681 units, up 134.8%, while BYD recorded 1,137 units, growing 121.6%. Hyundai dispatched 944 units, an increase of 111.7%.

Maruti Suzuki’s e Vitara contributed 1,342 units, while Kia’s Syros EV recorded 1,060 units. These models added further competition across the electric SUV and crossover segments.

The figures suggest that the market is no longer shaped solely by the established high-volume models. A wider range of products and manufacturers is now contributing to the monthly total.

Nevertheless, growth rates for newer brands need careful interpretation. VinFast’s increase, for example, is calculated against a much smaller base in September 2025. Absolute volumes and sustained performance over several months are equally important when assessing competitive strength.

A separate AutoPunditz analysis of Vahan registration data reported 35,048 electric passenger vehicle registrations in September 2026, up 95.4% year-on-year from 17,932 registrations in September 2025.

That registration figure should not be confused with the 35,256 dispatches reported in the model-wise wholesale dataset.

Dispatches measure vehicles supplied by manufacturers into the distribution network, whereas registrations reflect vehicles recorded in the registration system. The two measures can differ because of inventory movements, timing differences and reporting coverage.

The September dispatch report uses its 30-model dataset, while the separate registration report uses Vahan data. Their totals, market shares and growth rates should therefore be interpreted within their respective methodologies.

September 2026 delivered strong year-on-year growth in electric passenger vehicle dispatches, but the manufacturer-level figures reveal an uneven competitive landscape.

Tata Motors continues to benefit from its established portfolio and high-volume models. Mahindra is expanding rapidly, with the XEV 9S emerging as a major contributor. MG faces pressure in its higher-volume models, while other manufacturers are adding more choices and competing for a larger share of the market.

The next test will be whether these trends persist across subsequent months. Sustained volumes, retail registrations, inventory levels and the performance of individual models will provide a clearer picture of which manufacturers are translating the broader EV opportunity into durable market share.

For now, September’s data establishes a clear point: India’s electric car market is growing rapidly, but growth is increasingly being distributed across a wider and more competitive set of manufacturers and models.

Source: AutoPunditz, September 2026 dispatch report. Competitive analysis and interpretations are by VahanWarta.