BMW To Roll Out Three New EV Models In Push For More India Sales
Besides the introduction of new models, some existing cars will get major upgrades as part of a broader rollout of 27 products.
BMW AG will unveil three new electric vehicles in India as the German carmaker looks to grow its already dominant share of the luxury segment in the world’s third-largest auto market.
While the company has yet to release details on the new launches, it’s focused on a battery-only strategy for India and has no plans to introduce hybrids to the market, according to Hardeep Singh Brar, president and chief executive officer of BMW’s India business.
It’s part of a push to have EVs account for a quarter of BMW’s sales in the South Asian nation in 2026, up from 21% last year, he said. The carmaker, which sold about 18,000 units in 2025, is already nearing that goal. EVs made up 23% of the sales for the three months ended Dec. 31.
Besides the introduction of new models, some existing cars will get major upgrades as part of a broader rollout of 27 products, Brar said in an interview. “Demand for EVs remains strong, with waiting periods of about three months, and we plan to increase supplies in 2026,” he said.
BMW already dominates India’s luxury EV market, with Brar estimating it accounts for close to 60% of sales. It has also been gaining market share from arch-rivals Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Audi, despite hefty import levies and rising competition.
The German automaker has withstood the high-profile entry of Tesla Inc. into the Indian market a few months back, with Brar pointing to BMW’s rising EV volumes and faster overall growth in the December quarter.
India’s EV market is small but growing rapidly, luring global players such as Tesla, BYD and Vinfast who are seeing sluggish demand elsewhere. Growth in global EV sales is expected to slow this year as China winds down some subsidies, Europe wavers on its phase-out of combustion engines, and US producers and policymakers make a U-turn from the segment.
The average selling price for BMW’s EVs in India stands close to 6 million rupees ($66,600), similar to the starting price for Tesla’s Model Y standard range. Both companies face the hefty 110% tariff on vehicles they import to the country.
The German automaker’s most popular model, however, is the locally assembled iX1, which retails for about 5 million rupees, and accounted for the bulk of BMW’s 3,700 EV sales in India in 2025.
Nearly half of iX1 buyers were first-time luxury customers, with many moving up from mass market brands, attracted by lower running costs and minimal maintenance requirements for EVs, Brar said.
To support EV adoption, BMW has installed 12 high-capacity fast chargers along major highways at intervals of about 300 kilometers (186 miles), along with 52 fast chargers at dealer locations.
BMW is also investing about 4 billion rupees to upgrade dealerships and charging infrastructure.
