April Auto Sales Fall 7.5% on Year, EVs Witness 30% Rise

AUTO SALES HAVE got off to a slow start in FY26 with total vehicle registrations falling 7.5% y-o-y to 2.06 million units.

- NITIN KUMAR

AUTO SALES HAVE got off to a slow start in FY26 with total vehicle registrations falling 7.5% y-o-y to 2.06 million units. Sequentially, the fall is a smaller 4% from 2.15 million units in March, VAHAN data showed. Sales of passenger car sales declined by approximately 10% in April to 318,681 units from 349,000 units in March.

The electric vehicle (EV) segment appears to be the worst hit. EV registrations dropped sharply to 150,000 units in April, a fall of 37% over March sales. However, sales were up 30% year-on-year, on a relatively low base; April 2024 saw muted demand in the aftermath of the expiry of FAME II subsidies.