India achieves record-high electric car sales in 2024
According to the government’s official Vahan portal, India recorded a sale of 99,004 electric cars in 2024, Autocar Professional reported. Compared to 2023 (82,563 units), the country’s electric car sales grew by 16,441 units or 20%.
While electric car sales are growing, the market dynamics are evolving as consumer choices grow. Leading brand Tata Motors saw its market share drop from 73% in 2023 to 62% in 2024 – the lowest since 2022. The company sold 61,435 electric cars last year, just 1,428 units or 2% more than in the preceding year (60,007 units). The company offers India’s widest electric car portfolio, consisting of five models for private buyers—Tiago.ev, Tigor.ev, Punch.ev, Nexon.ev, and Curvv.ev—and one fleet exclusive model – Xpres-T. This year, the company plans to launch the Harrier.ev in the coming months and the Sierra.ev in the second half.
JSW MG Motor, a joint venture between India’s JSW Group and China’s SAIC for the latter’s MG brand, sold 21,464 EVs in 2024. The company recorded a growth of 11,941 units or 125% over 2023 (9,523 units), primarily thanks to the Windsor EV launched in September. In addition to the crossover-styled compact hatchback, it sells the ZS EV small SUV and Comet EV microcar.
Mahindra & Mahindra took the third spot on the sales chart, selling 7,104 units of its only electric car currently in showrooms – the XUV400. Compared to 2023, when it shipped 4,269 units, the homegrown automaker grew its electric car sales by 2,835 units or 66%. The company plans to launch three models in the coming months to expand its EV line-up to four – XUV 3XO EV, BE 6, and XEV 9e. The BE 6, in particular, has generated a lot of excitement in the market and should give the company a big boost this year.
China’s BYD operates independently in India and ranked fourth, selling just 2,819 electric cars, 807 units or 40% more than in the preceding year (2,012 units). The company locally assembles the Atto 3 compact SUV and eMax 7 from imported knocked-down kits, but these cars are still too expensive for the average Indian. The Chinese automaker also sells the Seal mid-size sedan in India, but it imports this model as a completely built unit (CBU), making it even more out of reach.
Citroen stood at the fifth position and recorded a 4% year-over-year decline in 2024. The French automaker offers only one electric car in India – the e-C3- and it sold just 1,873 units of this model last year, 76 units less than in 2023 (1,873 units). Later this year, the company will likely launch a pure electric variant of the C3 Aircross small SUV.
Hyundai and Kia were in the same league as luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, selling electric cars in minuscule numbers, as their current models are exorbitantly expensive. The South Korean duo may grow exponentially this year, though, as they plan to launch their first mass-market electric cars in the country – the Creta Electric and the Carens EV, respectively. Arch-rival Maruti Suzuki will enter the EV space this year with the e Vitara and build it locally. With many new locally manufactured and affordable electric cars on the horizon, India may set a new sales record again this year.
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