India’s EV market started 2026 on a positive note. The EV sales rose to 17,159 units in January, from 15,643 units in December, a nearly 10 per cent increase. The top brands stayed the same, but there were small changes in the middle. Some companies sold a little more, while others sold a little less than in December.
Tata and MG Lead the Market
Tata Electric stayed at the top of the EV sales chart in January, selling 7,303 units, up from 6,747 units in December. The rise was steady rather than sharp, but it was enough to hold on to the lead comfortably.
MG Motor followed closely in second place, reporting 4,431 units for the month. This was an improvement over December’s 3,734 units, making MG one of the stronger performers in terms of month-on-month growth. Together, Tata and MG made up a large part of total EV sales.
Mahindra Holds Third, Hyundai Moves to Fifth
Mahindra Electric stayed in third place in January, selling 3,184 units, a small increase from 3,046 units in December. The increase was small, but it helped Mahindra remain among the top three EV makers. Hyundai Motor moved up to fifth place after selling 315 units in January, improving on its December tally of 272 units.
BMW slipped to sixth, with 299 units sold, down from 356 units a month earlier. Kia India sold 298 units in January, a slight dip from 327 units in December, which placed it seventh for the month. The shift reflects normal month-to-month variation rather than any meaningful change in demand.
Maruti Records a Big Monthly Rise
Maruti Suzuki stood out in January, selling 200 EVs, a big jump from just 9 units in December. This moved the company up to ninth place in the rankings. Although volumes remain low compared to market leaders, the jump marks a noticeable step up from the previous month.
Lower January Sales for BYD, Mercedes-Benz
BYD reported 208 units in January, down from 253 units in December, placing it eighth for the month. Mercedes-Benz rounded out the top ten with 66 units, marginally lower than 70 units in December, though its year-on-year growth remained strong.
Year-on-Year Sales Improve
Total EV sales up to January 2026 reached 17,159 units, compared with 11,926 units over the same period last year. That’s a year-on-year rise of about 44 per cent, showing that EV adoption is still growing despite month-to-month ups and downs.
January’s data shows that while the leading brands continue to build on their volumes, movement is also visible among smaller players. Growth remains uneven, but the broader direction remains upward as the market heads deeper into 2026.
