Japan's three EV scooter makers suffer a total defeat in India's EV scooter war — combined February sales of just 824 units, a shocking gap against local players' 80,000

In February 2026, all three of Japan's major two-wheeler makers finally had products in India's EV market. But the results were shocking. Combined sales for Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha came to just 824 units. In the same month, India's local brands sold 80,378 units — a gap of about 97 times. Japanese two-wheeler makers, once overwhelmingly dominant in the Indian market, have fallen completely behind on the new battlefield of the EV shift.

A shocking number — the reality of 824 combined units from Japan's three makers

According to February 2026 data from industry body SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers), combined electric scooter shipments by Japan's three major two-wheeler makers came to only 824 units. Looking at each company individually, the situation is even more serious.

Yamaha entered India's EV market in February 2026 with the "EC-06," but shipped only 92 units in its first month. Suzuki entered in January 2026 with the "e-Access," and even combined over two months, shipments stayed at just 1,435 units. Most shocking of all is Honda. The industry's largest player, which launched the Activa E in February 2025, shipped zero electric scooters in February 2026. Its cumulative total over the past 11 months is just 2,783 units, settling at an extremely low monthly average of around 250 units.

The overwhelming momentum of India's local manufacturers

By contrast, India's local manufacturers have completely taken over the electric scooter market. TVS Motor alone sold on the scale of 400,000 units in FY2025 and holds firmly onto the top share of India's EV scooter market with its iQube series. Bajaj Auto's Chetak has also continued to grow at a pace of more than 10,000 units a month, and together TVS and Bajaj have built a dominant position accounting for about 46% of the overall market.

In addition, emerging manufacturers such as Ather Energy (backed by Hero MotoCorp) and Ola Electric are also making their presence felt, and India's EV scooter market is expanding rapidly under the leadership of local manufacturers. Total sales in India's EV scooter market grew to more than 1 million units a year in FY2025, and some forecasts project it will reach 5 million units a year by 2030.

Why have Japanese makers fallen so far behind?

There are multiple reasons Japanese two-wheeler makers are struggling in India's EV scooter market. First is late entry timing. TVS rolled out the iQube in earnest in 2022, and Bajaj has been selling the Chetak since 2020. Meanwhile, Honda's Activa E launched in February 2025, Suzuki's e-Access in January 2026, and Yamaha's EC-06 in February 2026 — giving local manufacturers a two-to-four-year head start.

Second is a problem with price competitiveness. India's EV scooter market has been shaped by the FAME II subsidy (which ended in 2024) and the PM E-Drive scheme that followed it, and local manufacturers achieved pricing that made maximum use of these subsidies from an early stage. Japanese makers were slow to respond to the subsidy schemes and have not been able to present price points that appeal to consumers.

Third is a problem with product concept. Japanese makers' EV scooters are mostly models electrified on the base of existing gasoline scooter bodies, and they fall behind local manufacturers on features Indian consumers want, such as range (100km or more) and smartphone connectivity. TVS's iQube and Ather's 450 series were designed as EV-only from the ground up, and this difference in design philosophy shows up as a difference in performance.

Still strong in gasoline vehicles — but time is limited

It's worth noting that Honda still holds the top spot in the gasoline scooter market, with a share of about 38-39%. The Activa series is a national scooter of India, continuing to sell more than 200,000 units a month, so it's not the case that Japanese makers' entire two-wheeler business is in crisis.

However, the Indian government has set a target of making 30% of two-wheeler sales EVs by 2030, and the wave of electrification is steadily accelerating. It's only a matter of time before the gasoline scooter market shrinks, and without a comeback in the EV market, Japanese makers risk gradually losing their presence across India's two-wheeler market as a whole.

The potential for a comeback — the cards Japanese makers have left to play

A comeback in India's EV market is not impossible for Japanese two-wheeler makers. Honda is advancing development of next-generation battery technology, including all-solid-state batteries, and is charting a strategy to differentiate on range and charging speed. Suzuki is strengthening its production setup in India and planning to introduce a cost-competitive EV model.

That said, India's EV market is moving "right now." At this stage, when consumer brand loyalty is being formed, sales on the scale of a few hundred units a year aren't even enough to register a presence. Rebuilding the sales network, introducing a price-competitive dedicated model, and strengthening digital marketing — a fast-moving response is required.

Implications for Japanese Companies

While companies such as Uniqlo and Lawson are boldly taking on the Indian market, Japanese makers are on the back foot in the two-wheeler EV market. This contrast starkly illustrates the importance of "timing" in cracking the Indian market. In growth markets, an approach of entering early and evolving together with customers is often more effective than preparing the perfect product before entering.

If you are interested in trends in India's two-wheeler EV market, Please get in touch with SoJapan. Uniqlo's growth strategy in India and Mitsubishi UFJ's financial investment in India and other recent developments in Japanese companies' expansion into India.

Reference Information

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