China Surpasses Petrol Cars in EV Sales, India Still Has a Long Way to Go

China has achieved a major milestone in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, with EV sales surpassing those of petrol and diesel vehicles for the first time in the country’s history. The shift highlights China’s rapid transition toward sustainable mobility, while India still lags behind.

According to recent data, China sold 13.1 million electric vehicles last year, compared to 12.3 million petrol and diesel cars, marking the lowest sales for conventional vehicles in 15 years. The sales of petrol and diesel cars in China have declined for the eighth consecutive year, falling by 13% last year alone.

Petrol and diesel car sales in China had peaked in 2017, but have since dropped by 49% (11.6 million units). Analysts estimate that by 2030, EV sales in China could reach 21.2 million units, while petrol and diesel vehicle sales may drop to just 4.9 million units.

Chinese automaker BYD outpaced Elon Musk’s Tesla last year in vehicle production. While Tesla produces only EVs, BYD manufactures both EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles, allowing it to dominate the market further.

India’s EV Scenario

In contrast, India has a long road ahead in EV adoption. Last year, the country recorded 2.3 million EV sales, accounting for roughly 8% of new vehicle registrations. Two-wheelers led the segment with 1.28 million units (57%), followed by three-wheelers with 800,000 units (35%) and cars with 175,000 units.

Among Indian states, Uttar Pradesh emerged as the largest EV market with over 400,000 vehicles sold, while Delhi, Kerala, and Goa showed high EV adoption rates relative to their population.

China’s remarkable leap in EV sales underscores the global shift toward electric mobility and signals that India will need several more years of development to reach comparable levels of adoption.