Petrol cars' share of registrations falls to 41.27% as buyers shift to CNG, hybrid and electric
FADA data shows petrol's share of car registrations fell 5.91 percentage points in a year, while electric, hybrid and CNG-LPG vehicles gained.
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A big change is becoming visible in the fuel customers choose in the country's car market. The share of petrol cars in total registrations is falling, while the share of CNG, hybrid and electric cars is rising fast. According to data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), petrol cars accounted for 41.27% of registrations in September 2026.
In the same month last year, September 2025, the share was 47.18%. Petrol's share has thus come down by 5.91 percentage points in a year.
The share of electric vehicles in registrations rose to 8.45% in September 2026, from 5.74% in September 2025, an increase of 2.71 percentage points. Hybrid cars also recorded a good rise. Their share, 7.30% last year, has now reached 9.44%.
The share of CNG and LPG vehicles has also grown, from 22.02% in September 2025 to 23.11% in September 2026. The share of diesel vehicles remained almost unchanged, slipping from 17.76% to 17.74%.
In August 2026, the combined share of CNG, LPG, hybrid and electric vehicles was 41.95%, while petrol's share in the same month was 40.85%. These alternative-fuel vehicles had thus together overtaken petrol. In September, however, the gap between the two groups narrowed, with the combined share of alternative fuels at 41% against petrol's 41.27%.
Keeping the rising demand in mind, carmakers are focusing on models across different fuel types. Maruti Suzuki has CNG cars and strong hybrid models. Tata Motors is working on a range of options, including petrol, diesel, CNG and electric. Hyundai, Kia and Mahindra also have models with different powertrains in their portfolios.
The figures indicate that customer preferences are changing. However, a fall in petrol car registrations does not necessarily mean their sales have dropped every month, because the share in registrations is measured against total vehicle registrations. In the coming period, fuel costs, car prices, charging facilities and government policies could have a major influence on the car market.
