Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The festive season put Indore’s automobile market in top gear, with 22,564 vehicles registered in October alone - the highest monthly tally between January and October 2026.
The October figure was also 859 higher than January’s registrations. Two-wheelers accounted for the largest share, followed by cars. Among fuel categories, Petrol-E20 vehicles dominated, while electric and CNG vehicles also recorded a notable share. Nearly two out of every nine vehicles registered during the month were either electric or CNG-run.
According to Indore Regional Transport Office (RTO) registration data, Petrol-E20 vehicles recorded the highest number of registrations. A total of 11,504 such vehicles were registered in October. This was followed by 4,016 conventional petrol vehicles. Another 1,629 vehicles belonged to the Petrol-E20/CNG category. Diesel vehicles accounted for 1,727 registrations, while 298 vehicles ran exclusively on CNG. The Petrol/CNG category recorded 105 registrations. Additionally, 239 Petrol-E20 hybrid and 22 petrol-hybrid vehicles were registered.
Electric and CNG vehicles also accounted for a significant share of registrations. A total of 2,845 pure electric vehicles (EVs) and 152 battery-operated vehicles (BOVs) were registered during October, taking the total number of electric vehicles to 2,997.
Meanwhile, 2,032 vehicles belonged to CNG categories, including vehicles running exclusively on CNG and those offering petrol-CNG options. Combined, electric and CNG vehicles accounted for 5,029 registrations, or 22.3% of the total. This means nearly every 4.5th vehicle registered in October was either electric or CNG-powered.
Two-wheelers and cars account for the majority
The non-transport category recorded 20,818 registrations. Two-wheelers dominated this segment, with 16,161 motorcycles and scooters registered, followed by 4,423 cars. The remaining registrations included 160 agricultural tractors, 37 construction equipment vehicles, 15 harvesters and 11 privately used omnibuses. Two-wheelers accounted for approximately 71.6% of total registrations, while cars contributed 19.6%. The October figures indicate strong festive-season demand for two-wheelers and cars. At the same time, the significant share of Petrol-E20, electric and CNG vehicles highlights the changing fuel preferences of vehicle buyers in the city.
NUMBERS GAME
22,564 — total October registrations
16,161 — two-wheelers
4,423 — cars
11,504 — Petrol-E20 vehicles
2,997 — electric vehicles
5,029 — EV+CNG registrations
22.3% — combined EV-CNG share
Top Five Months for Vehicle Registrations in 2026
Month Number of Vehicles
October 22,564
January 21,705
September 20,182
July 18,711
August 17,407
Vehicle Registrations by Fuel Category in October
Fuel Category Registrations
Petrol-E20 11,504
Petrol 4,016
Pure Electric (EV) 2,845
Diesel 1,727
Petrol-E20/CNG 1,629
CNG Only 298
Petrol-E20/Hybrid 239
Electric BOV 152
Petrol/CNG 105
Petrol/Hybrid 22
Strong Hybrid EV 17
Flex-Fuel (Ethanol) 3
Diesel/Hybrid 4
Petrol/LPG 2
Petrol-E20/LPG 1
Key Statistics
Total registrations in October: 22,564
Two-wheelers: 16,161
Cars: 4,423
Petrol-E20 vehicles: 11,504
Electric vehicles: 2,997
CNG-category vehicles: 2,032
CNG car owners may face fresh tax
demands over expired concession
1% concession expired on Feb 13, 2026
The Madhya Pradesh transport department is preparing to recover the motor vehicle tax shortfall from cars with factory-fitted CNG kits that continued receiving a one per cent concession after the stipulated period expired. The concession remained active on the vehicle portal beyond the deadline. The NIC in-charge has written to the NIC director and transport commissioner, seeking details of vehicles registered with the concession.
According to departmental documents, the one per cent tax concession was introduced to promote City Gas Distribution (CGD) infrastructure. The CGD Development Policy was introduced on Feb 14, 2025, followed by a notification on April 28, 2025. The concession was valid for one year and expired on Feb 13, 2026. However, the portal continued granting the benefit after the deadline. Since the last week of October, tax has been charged at 8% instead of 7%.
Revenue loss due to continued concession on portal
In his letter to the NIC director and transport commissioner, the NIC in-charge stated that the portal continued calculating motor vehicle tax with the one per cent concession beyond the prescribed period, causing revenue losses to the government. The letter requests that vehicles registered after Feb 13, 2026, be taxed without the concession. It also seeks a list of vehicles registered at reduced rates after the deadline to recover the tax difference from their owners.
Thousands of vehicles in Madhya Pradesh may be affected
A large number of factory-fitted CNG cars have been registered across Madhya Pradesh since February 2026. The number of affected vehicles statewide is expected to run into thousands. Many cars registered with the Indore Regional Transport Office (RTO) may also be affected. Their owners could now face additional payments towards the motor vehicle tax shortfall.
Recovery exercise poses a challenge for the department
The transport department faces the challenge of identifying all vehicles registered with the concession and calculating the shortfall for each. The total recoverable amount will become clear only after the affected vehicles' list is received and examined.
