India's electric vehicle (EV) market saw a notable surge in 2023, with sales rising to 123,362 units from 83,353 units in 2022, representing a growth of 47.99 per cent, as reported by Frost & Sullivan in their analysis titled "An Overview of Indian Electric Vehicle Market: Trends And Future Outlook."
The report anticipated that the two-wheeler segment would spearhead India's transition to electric mobility, with 50-60 per cent of total demand likely to shift to electric by 2030. Following this, electric three-wheelers and small trucks were expected to gain traction, while electric cars were projected to capture around 10 per cent of the market, influenced by developments in charging infrastructure and consumer price sensitivity.
Regarding sales volume, Tata Motors dominated the market in 2023, selling 53,199 units. SAIC followed with 12,562 units, and Mahindra & Mahindra sold 8,286 units. Popular models included the Tata Nexon BEV, Tata Tigor/Tiago BEV, and the Mahindra XUV400 BEV.
Despite the current growth, the development of charging infrastructure was identified as a challenge, with its pace described as slow but expected to accelerate in response to increasing demand. The report also noted that global manufacturers like Renault-Nissan and Stellantis were investing in Indian production facilities to leverage the low-cost manufacturing environment for potential exports.
Government initiatives had significantly driven the market's growth, with schemes like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) and various state-level incentives aiding the shift to electric mobility. The Indian government set ambitious targets for 2030, aiming for electric vehicles to account for 30 per cent of private car sales, 70 per cent of commercial vehicle sales, and 80 per cent of two- and three-wheeler sales.
Challenges such as the high cost of acquisition and the need for longer-range EV models were seen as barriers to faster adoption rates. However, the government's focus on reducing import dependence through localized manufacturing and policy support for technologies like battery swapping was expected to address these issues.
