Electric Vehicle Retail Sales Rise 27% During Navratri Despite Overall Market Decline

Electric vehicle (EV) retail sales in India rose 26.78% year-on-year during Navratri 2026, reaching 1,17,437 units, according to provisional data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).

The growth came even as total vehicle retail sales fell 6.52% to 11.23 lakh units during the 10-day festive period, compared with 12.01 lakh units during Navratri last year. Industry representatives attributed the overall decline partly to a high comparison base, as last year's festive period coincided with demand shifts linked to GST changes.

EVs accounted for approximately 10.5% of total vehicle retail during Navratri 2026, up from around 7.7% a year earlier. Compared with Navratri 2024, EV retail sales increased by more than 83%, indicating a substantial rise over two years.

Electric two-wheelers remained the largest contributor to EV retail volumes. Sales in this segment rose 33.41% year-on-year to 75,758 units. Electric three-wheeler retail increased 10.51% to 28,086 units, while electric passenger vehicle sales climbed 25.97% to 12,305 units.

Electric commercial vehicles recorded the strongest percentage growth among the reported categories, rising 96.04% to 1,288 units. However, the segment continues to operate on a much smaller base than electric two-wheelers.

Despite rising demand, vehicle availability remains a challenge in parts of the EV market. Dealers have reported supply constraints amid global logistics disruptions and difficulties in transporting some EV-related materials. These issues could affect how quickly manufacturers meet customer demand.

FADA said the broader vehicle market's performance needs to be assessed against the unusually high base of Navratri 2025. Retail sales during Navratri 2026 were still 26.76% higher than the 8.86 lakh units recorded during the same festive period in 2024.

The upcoming Dhanteras and Diwali buying season is expected to provide further insight into consumer demand. The latest figures suggest that EVs are gaining a larger share of India's vehicle market, although consistent supplies and broader adoption will remain important to sustaining this momentum.