Electric cars are gaining ground in India’s festive automobile market, with registrations increasing from 9,768 units during Navratri 2025 to 12,305 units this year, an increase of 25.97 per cent
Overall automobile registrations declined from 12,01,479 units during the 11-day Navratri period in 2025 (September 22–October 2) to 11,23,086 units during the 10 days in 2026 (October 11–20), a decrease of 6.52 per cent.
Non-electric passenger-vehicle registrations fell from 2,24,236 units to 1,70,423 units, a decrease of 24 per cent, even as electric passenger-car registrations increased from 9,768 units to 12,305 units, an increase of 25.97 per cent, according to provisional data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Associations (FADA) on Wednesday.
The contrasting performance helped electric cars expand their share of passenger-vehicle registrations from 4.17 per cent to 6.73 per cent, a gain of 2.56 percentage points in a year.
“The real stand-out is electrification; EV retail grew 26.78% and now accounts for close to 10.5% of festive sales, up from about 7.7% a year ago, showing that India’s EV shift has become self-sustaining,” said FADA President Sai Giridhar.
EVs widen their footprint
Overall passenger-vehicle registrations declined from 234,004 units to 1,82,728 units, a decrease of 21.91 per cent. However, Navratri lasted ten days this year compared with eleven days in 2025, when the GST 2.0 roll-out also brought forward substantial pent-up demand.
On a daily-average basis, electric-car registrations increased from 888 units to 1,231 units, an increase of 38.6 per cent, while non-electric passenger-vehicle registrations declined from 20,385 units to 17,042 units, a decrease of 16.4 per cent.
Against Navratri 2024, electric passenger-car registrations increased from 3,252 units to 12,305 units, an increase of 278.38 per cent, compared with a 10.39 per cent increase in overall passenger-vehicle registrations over the same ten-day periods.
Electric two-wheelers gain traction
Total electric-vehicle registrations increased from 92,628 units to 117,437 units, an increase of 26.78 per cent, while overall automobile registrations declined from 12,01,479 units to 11,23,086 units, a decrease of 6.52 per cent.
Electric two-wheeler registrations increased from 56,787 units to 75,758 units, an increase of 33.41 per cent, lifting their segment share from 6.62 per cent to 9.08 per cent.
“The marginal 6.52% dip versus Navratri ’25 is largely optical: last year Navratri ran eleven days against ten and coincided with the GST 2.0 roll-out, which pulled a wave of pent-up demand into one extraordinary window,” Giridhar said.
Overall vehicle registrations were 26.76 per cent higher than during Navratri 2024, the last comparable festive period.
“As we enter the Dhanteras-to-Diwali wave, we remain cautiously optimistic: affordability is strong, aspiration is rising, and auto retail continues to mirror the enduring momentum of the India Growth Story,” Giridhar said.
Published on October 21, 2026
