India's scooter market posts record first half: 48.65 lakh units in April to September 2026, EVs take 20 percent

India's scooter makers have just posted their biggest first half ever. Wholesale dispatches between April and September 2026 touched 48,65,192 units, up 29 percent year on year, according to sales data analysed by Autocar Professional on October 19. That works out to roughly 26,585 scooters leaving factories every single day for 183 days.

September alone accounted for 9,95,576 units, the highest monthly scooter total on record, and just 4,424 units short of a million in a single month. If the second half holds anywhere near this pace, the scooter market will cross 10 million units in a fiscal year for the first time.

Honda still leads, but everyone else is growing faster

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India remains the market leader with 1.65 million scooters and a 34 percent share, but its 15 percent growth is the slowest among the top five. TVS Motor is second with 1.43 million units and 32 percent growth, which narrows the gap meaningfully. Suzuki Motorcycle India sold 6,22,722 units, up 11 percent. The surprise is Hero MotoCorp at 4,09,319 units, a 70 percent jump, and India Yamaha Motor at 2,02,131 units, up 33 percent.

For a buyer in Bengaluru or Pune, this is the most competitive the 110 to 125cc scooter aisle has ever been. The Activa no longer walks into a showroom unchallenged. Jupiter, Access, Fascino and Hero's Xoom range are all being pushed hard with discounts and festive schemes, and dealer-level bargaining power has shifted towards the customer.

One in five scooters sold is now electric

Electric scooter wholesales hit 9,78,017 units in the half year, up 103 percent. That takes the EV share of total scooter sales from 13 percent to 20 percent. TVS leads the electric pack with 3,05,972 units and a 31 percent EV share, Bajaj Auto follows with 2,60,982 units at 27 percent, and Ather Energy is third with 1,71,611 units at 18 percent. Bengaluru's Ather being in the top three while two legacy giants fight above it tells you how quickly this segment has matured from startup territory into volume business.

Bajaj, incidentally, declared its Q2 FY27 results on October 27, and the Chetak numbers are now big enough that the company's scooter business is no longer a side note to Pulsar.

Commuter motorcycles are doing well too, just not as well

Motorcycle dispatches reached 6.92 million units in the same six months, up 10 percent, as reported by Autocar India on October 26. That is the second best first half on record, behind the 7.37 million of H1 FY2019. September's 1.41 million units was the highest single month ever for motorcycles.

Hero MotoCorp led with 2.94 million units and a 43 percent share, growing 12 percent. Honda followed with 1.39 million and 20 percent share, also up 12 percent. TVS grew 13 percent to 7,70,000 units. Royal Enfield grew fastest at 23 percent with 6,40,000 units. Bajaj Auto was the only major to slip, down 7 percent to 9,30,000 units, with the weakness concentrated at the entry level rather than in Pulsar.

The simple reading for a buyer: scooters are outgrowing motorcycles, electric scooters are outgrowing everything, and the 100 to 125cc commuter motorcycle is still the floor the whole industry stands on.

Sources