Electric vehicles continued gaining popularity in India during May as consumers increasingly shifted toward battery-powered mobility.
Electric four-wheeler sales reached 21,953 units during the month, while total passenger vehicle sales stood at 317,354 units, according to a report by Moneycontrol.
This pushed EV penetration in the passenger vehicle market to 6.9 percent, the highest level seen in more than a year.
The share of electric cars had stood at 4.1 percent in January and 4.2 percent in February before rising steadily over the following months.
Industry experts said rising fuel prices and improving consumer confidence in EV technology played a major role in boosting demand.
Fuel Price Hikes Support EV Adoption
The latest increase in EV sales comes at a time when petrol and diesel prices have risen sharply across the country.
Oil marketing companies have increased fuel prices by more than 8 percent, or around ₹8 per litre, over the past two weeks.
The Indian crude oil basket has also remained above $100 per barrel for the third straight month in May.
Higher running costs for petrol and diesel vehicles are encouraging more consumers to consider electric alternatives.
Analysts said rising fuel expenses are becoming an important factor influencing vehicle purchase decisions in urban markets.
Electric Two-Wheelers Also Gain Market Share
The shift toward electric mobility is not limited to passenger cars.
Electric two-wheelers accounted for 8.9 percent of total motorcycle and scooter sales in May, compared to 6.7 percent in January.
Sales of electric two-wheelers stood at 144,451 units out of total two-wheeler sales of 1.62 million units during the month.
The data suggests that consumers are increasingly becoming comfortable with electric mobility for daily commuting and short-distance travel.
Industry experts believe lower operating costs and improving charging infrastructure are helping increase EV adoption.
