The automotive wholesales numbers for September 2024 and Q2 FY2025 are out, seeing mixed results.

As per the latest data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex body representing automakers in India, for September 2024, the passenger vehicle segment sold 356,752 which was down 1 percent YoY compared to 361,717 units sold last year.

On the other hand, the three- and two-wheeler segments continued to power the overall sales with 79,683 units and 2,025,993 units, seeing 7 percent and 16 percent growth respectively. This translates to a total of 2,462,431 vehicles sold in September, up 13 percent, compared to 2,186,270 units sold last year.

Similarly, in Q2 FY2025, a total of 6,663,875 vehicles were sold, registering a 9 percent growth YoY, as compared to 6,116,773 units sold last year.

Of this, passenger vehicle sales declined by 2 percent at 1,055,137 units; commercial vehicles barring buses were all in the red. A total of 220,643 commercial vehicles were sold, registering a decline of 11 percent YoY, as compared to 247,801 units sold last year.

The three-wheeler and two-wheeler segments continued to be the bright spot with sales of 208,718 units (7% YoY) and 5,179,349 units (13% YoY) respectively.

Shailesh Chandra, President, SIAM said, “The overall Indian automobile industry remained strong in Q2 2024-25 with 8.9 percent growth compared to Q2 2023-24. Two- and Three-Wheelers continued to post strong growth of 12.6 percent and 6.6 percent respectively, while passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles posted some degrowth in Q2 of 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. Heavy rainfall in key states and almost the entire ‘Shradh’ period falling in the month of September, did impact the sales numbers of some of the segments. With the rains easing and continued infrastructure spending, and the arrival of the festive season boosting consumption, we anticipate healthy demand in the next quarter.”

Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM said, “Although passenger vehicle segment de-grew by 1.8 percent in Q2 of 2024-25 as compared to Q2 of last year, for the 3rd time it crossed the 1 million mark in Q2, posting a sales of 1.06 million units. Two-wheelers posted sales of 5.18 million units in Q2 for FY 24-25 as compared 4.60 million units in Q2 of last year. Three-wheelers posted the highest ever sales of Q2 with 2.09 lakh units. Commercial vehicles posted a degrowth of 11 percent in Q2 of 2024-25 as compared to Q2 of last year, with sales of 2.21 lakh units.”

Meta and the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) have released a joint whitepaper and playbook detailing how digital adoption is reshaping consumer behaviour and preferences in India’s automotive sector. The report underscores how digitalisation is driving sector growth and offers strategies for transforming OEMs and dealerships nationwide.

In 2023, Meta and FADA launched the ‘Move with Meta’ programme, designed to upskill over 3,000 auto dealers across India. The initiative equips dealers with tools to enhance their social media presence, digitise customer engagement, and optimise lead generation through Meta platforms.

The programme has surpassed expectations, achieving a 3 times increase in dealer digitisation and training over 6,000 dealers through hyperlocal efforts, doubling its initial target. Combined with pre-programme efforts, a total of 10,000 dealers have now been upskilled.

Results have been significant, with a 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency reported by participants. The initiative has also contributed to improved sales performance for leading automotive OEMs across India, marking a major milestone in the sector’s digital evolution.

FADA President C S Vigneshwar said, “At FADA, our vision is to empower dealers nationwide with the right digital tools and insights to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. Through our partnership with Meta, we’ve not only exceeded our commitment of upskilling 3,000 dealers—surpassing 6,000—but we’ve also seen a 3 times increase in digitisation and a marked 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency. This whitepaper underscores the potential of AI, Reels, and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to strengthen customer relationships and drive growth. We look forward to scaling this collaboration further, bridging the digital gap in automotive retail, ensuring that dealers across India are future-ready, and remain agile in these dynamic times.”

Director Auto, CPG and D2C for Meta in India Saugato Bhowmik said, “Our platforms and products are well positioned to enable rapid and efficient digital customer acquisition and engagement for auto dealers in a hyperlocal manner. Over the last two years we’ve upskilled nearly 10,000 dealers along with FADA to digitize their outreach and experiences through our unique hyperlocal solutions and key products ranging from Reels and AI to messaging. We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with FADA and take on the ambitious target of upskilling 5000 more dealers in the next 2 years. This program has not only benefitted thousands of auto dealers but also proven to drive strong sales results for leading OEMs.”

Auto OEMs have reported strong sales and lead generation impact because of the program.

Group Head of Marketing at Hyundai Motor India Limited, Virat Khullar, said “We’re excited to see outstanding business results through our partnership with Meta and OnlineSales on the Hyperlocal program. Together, we’ve developed a custom model that efficiently onboarded over 600 dealers in record time. In H2 '24, Meta’s hyperlocal program drove a remarkable 37% growth in sales compared to H1, while delivering 29% reduction in Cost per Retail.  As we move forward, we’re eager to scale this partnership further, leveraging cutting-edge AI and messaging solutions to unlock even greater opportunities.”

Chief Marketing Officer of Auto at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, Manjari Upadhye, said “Our partnership with Meta has helped amplify the impact of our passenger vehicle launches. Mahindra has leveraged the best and latest in technology to drive launch impact through Meta’s family of Apps. Some of the key activations include leveraging WhatsApp for Thar ROXX launch, using Partnership ads for driving consideration for XUV 700 (Intent went up +3.3 pts) and the Auto Industry’s first chat-based car configurator on Messenger and Instagram Direct for XUV 3XO, which saw 29% increase in conversation volumes. Our collaboration with Meta has driven significant impact, leading to bookings and sales, and setting new benchmarks in the industry.”

Key Insights from the Auto Playbook 2025

Meta’s influence in driving discovery & evaluation, powered by AI: 72 percent of new automotive buyers who were surveyed in this research discovered the brand on the Meta family of apps. Further, 69 percent stated that the Meta family of apps played a role in their purchase decision.

WhatsApp Leads Buyer-Dealer Communication: Among new automobile buyers, 48 percent used WhatsApp to directly connect with dealerships for vehicle availability inquiries, making it the most preferred communication channel. Moreover, 47 percent expressed interest in receiving service reminders via messaging platforms.

Advantage+ Placements Revolutionizing Advertising: To improve cost per lead and lead volume by Meta for their Hyperlocal dealer campaigns, Hyundai India, used AI-powered Advantage+ Placements to place their dealer ads across all Meta surfaces. They saw 18 percent an increase in Lead Volume and 34 percent decrease in Cost Per Lead.

Reels and Creator Content Drive Purchase Decisions: 72 percent of automotive buyers find creator content on Instagram Reels helpful for vehicle evaluation, with 41 percent regularly engaging with vehicle-related Reels. By partnering with creators, dealers can build authenticity and amplify their reach.

The second day of Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 witnessed the launch of 56 new products from 22 different brands at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and 5 launches at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka. On the second day, VinFast Auto India announced the launch of its first two electric vehicles for the Indian market, the all-electric Premium SUVs, the VF 7 and VF 6.

 BMW India launched the all-new MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works Pack at an ex-showroom price of INR 5,590,000 and BMW X3 at an ex-showroom price of INR 7,580,000 – INR 7,780,000. Additionally, BMW Motorrad India launched two new bikes in the Indian market, the new BMW S 1000 RR and the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure. The S 1000 RR supersport bike will be available in India at an introductory ex-showroom price starting from INR 2,110,000. While the R 1300 GS Adventure (Base) introductory ex-showroom price will start from INR . 2,295,000.

JSW MG Motor India showcased nine advanced models, launching MG Majestor. The showcased products include hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles and internal combustion engine. Highlights included the IM5 sedan, IM6 electric SUV, MG HS PHEV and MG7 Trophy Edition, showcasing cutting-edge technology and sustainable mobility​.

Eka Mobility showcased India’s largest ever range of electric commercial vehicles, which includes over 11 distinct platforms spanning electric buses, trucks and small commercial vehicles (SCVs). Launching the brand new Eka Connect for the Indian market. Its bus portfolio included Eka Coach, Eka 12m, Eka 9m, Eka LF (Low Floor) and Eka 9M. Electric trucks include Eka 55-tonne and Eka 7-tonne, while Eka 3.5-tonne, 2.5-tonne, 1.5-tonne, EKA three-wheeler Cargo, Eka 6S, and Eka 3S were unveiled under its SCV Range.

BYD India launched BYD Sealion 7 pure performance eSUV at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. Additionally, BYD India also showcased the BYD Sealion 6, BYD Super Plug-in Hybrid EV with DM-i technology and the stunning Yangwang U8.

JBM Electric Vehicles launched four all-new electric buses on the second day of the Auto Expo 2025, ranging from luxury coach and medical mobile unit to electric tarmac coach, among others. Highlights of the launch were Galaxy; electric luxury coach, Xpress; an intercity bus, e-MediLife; Low Floor Electric Medical Mobile Unit, and e-SkyLife; 9-meter electric tarmac coach.

Montra Electric (TI Clean Mobility) launched ‘Eviator’ (e SCV) and Super Cargo (electric three-Wheeler) in the presence of the entire leadership team of the brand.

Hyundai Motor Company launched two concept models of advanced electric three-wheeler and micro four-wheeler on the second day. Along with exploring contributions to the last-mile mobility market in India together with TVS Motor Company.

Pinnacle Industries launched its next-generation ambulance range at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The new range includes three cutting-edge ambulance models: AD-Gen Ultra, AD-Gen Ambulance and Neonatal Ambulance.

Numeros Motors today launched its multipurpose and reliable e-scooter ‘Diplos Max’ at an introductory ex-showroom price (Bangalore) of INR 109,999 including the PM e-drive scheme. Alongside, the company unveiled another unique platform which will be India’s first bike-scooter crossover.

India’s first solar electric car ‘Eva’ was launched by Vayve Mobility at an introductory price of INR 325,000 (ex-showroom). The solar electric car will be available in three different options: 9 kilowatt-hour (Whr), 12 kWhr and 18 kWhr with prices ranging between INR 325,000 and Rs 599,000 (ex-showroom).

SML Isuzu launched the Hiroi.EV while presenting four other products including Aasai MX, premium Hiroi bus, ATS-125 multi stretcher ambulance and the Samrat XT Plus tipper.

Cummins Group in India announced the launch of its next-generation HELM (Higher Efficiency, Lower emissions, Multiple fuels) engine platforms with the high-performance L10 engine, along with, an advanced hydrogen fuel delivery system (FDS) with Type IV on-vehicle storage vessels and the innovative B6.7N natural gas engine.

Godawari Electric Motors Pvt. unveiled new additions to its product portfolio at the Bharat Mobility Global Show 2025. The company unveiled the Eblu Feo Z, Eblu Feo DX and launched the Eblu Rozee ECO. The Eblu Rozee ECO is priced at INR 295,999 (ex-showroom). To improve customer convenience, the company also announced the release of the EbluCare app. An innovative smartphone app called EbluCare has been designed to managing electric vehicles easier.

Sarla Aviation unveiled its first-ever product and India’s first flying taxi- Shunya on the second day.

Motovolt Mobility unveiled a range of electric vehicles. The line-up includes the Hyper One, India’s first digital pedal motorbike and the HUM NYC, a multi-utility speed pedelec tailored for demanding last-mile delivery needs. The versatile M7 and its sporty variant, M7 Rally cater to both logistics and personal commuting, while the innovative CLIP, a portable e-bike conversion kit, enables seamless e-mobility for existing bicycles.

Olectra GreenTech Limited unveiled a 12-meter blade battery platform, a 9-meter city bus, 12-meter coach bus and blade battery chassis. These products are underpinned by cutting-edge technology and inclusive design.

Omega Seiki launched the M1KA 1.0 electric truck, priced at INR 699,000, at the Bharat Mobility 2025 exhibition. The company also unveiled the upcoming M1KA 3.0 model and presented the upgraded 2025 Stream City, a next-generation electric passenger vehicle.

Components Show

On the first day of ‘The Components Show’, the exhibitors launched over five products and unveiled over seven automotive solutions.

Amongst the launches, Icon Autocraft introduced three cutting-edge automotive solutions: TruckMaster, an advanced wheel alignment system for trucks and buses; SX 119 Pro Duo LNL, the ultimate tyre changer; and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for cars.

Supreme launched advanced automotive audio products, including the: Morel Supremo Special Edition, a flagship speaker system featuring underhung voice coils and copper sleeves to reduce harmonic distortion, Morel New Active DSP Integration Solution, a compact amplifier that ensures seamless integration with OEM systems and Onkyo Range of Wiring Accessories for high-fidelity audio setups.

ASK Automotive showcased a range of cutting-edge products and technological advancements, including the launch of the AISIN ASK Product Range. AISIN ASK India Private Limited, a joint venture of ASK Automotive Limited, introduced innovative passenger car products for the Independent Aftermarket sector, marking ASK Automotive's debut in the 4-wheeler passenger car market across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

ZF announced the India launch of its next-generation digital fleet management platform, Scalar which offers cutting-edge features to optimise the operations of commercial fleets, enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability for both passenger and cargo transport. They also showcased their X-by-Wire for the first time in India, enabling greater vehicle customization and enhanced safety features.

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) inaugurated the 13th edition of the Auto Summit 2025, its flagship biennial convention, now an annual event aligned with Bharat Mobility, the Global Expo. Themed "Safe, Efficient & Sustainable: Shaping Tomorrow’s Mobility," the summit highlights the Indian retail automobile industry's progress and outlook.

Dubbed the "Maha Kumbh" of India’s automobile retail industry, the summit welcomed Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy as the Chief Guest with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari, addressing the gathering virtually as the Guest of Honour.

A prestigious platform for manufacturers, government officials, dealers, industry analysts, academia and thought leaders, the FADA Auto Summit fosters discussions on auto retail's evolving dynamics, emerging opportunities and strategic visions.

Auto Summit 2025 featured 75 distinguished speakers across 20 sessions, providing stakeholders an unmatched opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue, share insights and explore sustainable growth strategies for the sector's future.

Recognising the automotive industry’s contribution to the Indian economy, Kumaraswamy said, “The 13th Auto Summit is a pivotal moment for India’s automotive sector, focused on the theme "Safe, Efficient & Sustainable: Shaping Tomorrow’s Mobility." Safety remains a core priority, with an emphasis on enhancing road safety standards, integrating advanced driver-assistance systems, and improving infrastructure. Achieving this requires collaboration among manufacturers, dealers, policymakers, and consumers to reduce accidents and protect lives. Efficiency is also at the forefront, as evidenced by the 9% growth in vehicle sales in 2024, reaching 26.1 million units. This growth reflects the industry's focus on cutting-edge technologies that streamline manufacturing and enhance customer experiences across all segments.”

He added, “Sustainability is now a necessity. In 2024, electric vehicle (EV) sales surged to 14,08,245 units. Together, these efforts, supported by FADA and the government, are positioning India as a global leader in safe, efficient, and sustainable mobility, ensuring the sector meets both consumer needs and global challenges like climate change and road safety.”

Speaking at the occassion Gadkari stated , “The Indian automobile sector is witnessing a remarkable transformation, growing from INR 7 lakh crore to INR 22 lakh crore, now surpassing Japan globally, and becoming the fastest-growing economy in the world. As the 5th largest economy, India is on track to become the 3rd largest, backed by its immense skilled and youth workforce. The country's potential in raw materials, especially at reasonable rates, positions us to lead in industries ranging from 2Ws and tractors to alternative fuel options.”

He added, “India is not just leading domestically and now has a strong foothold in the international market, with 50% of the two-wheeler segment being exported. The focus on clean, sustainable energy—ranging from ethanol and biodiesel to hydrogen and electric—underscores our commitment to a greener future. As we work towards reducing our dependency on fossil fuels, we’re creating employment opportunities for millions, with the automobile sector alone poised to generate up to 4 crore jobs. The industry’s future looks promising, with a competitive edge driven by research, innovation, and the focus on quality. We are committed to making India an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, achieving self-sufficiency, while also positioning ourselves as global leaders. Initiatives like the pilot project in Nagpur for ropeway cable cars and flash-charging buses highlight the industry's focus on cutting-edge technology for urban mass transport. The potential for growth is enormous, as we continue to expand both the domestic and export markets. With strong research, investment in institutions like IITs, and a robust focus on sustainability, India is well on its way to being a global powerhouse in the automobile sector."

Alludng to the occassion, FADA President C S Vigneshwar said, “As we gather today at FADA’s 13th Auto Summit, it is inspiring to reflect on the significant progress our industry has made in shaping India’s automotive landscape. Over the past year, the sector has displayed remarkable resilience, achieving a 9% growth in vehicle retail. This success highlights the strength of consumer confidence and the dedication of all stakeholders in the ecosystem. This year the theme of the summit, ‘Safe, Efficient & Sustainable: Shaping Tomorrow’s Mobility,’ underscores the collective responsibility we share to shape an automotive future that is not only technologically advanced but also mindful of our environmental and societal obligations. As vehicle penetration increases, it is essential that we prioritize road safety, enhance operational efficiency, and accelerate our transition to sustainable mobility solutions. These are not just goals but imperatives for the industry to thrive and for India to emerge as a global leader in mobility.”

He added, “The successful implementation of FAME I and II, along with the ongoing PM eDrive initiative, are crucial steps in India's journey towards cleaner and greener vehicles, and FADA remains committed to supporting these efforts.”

The narrower, bigger diameter tyres of electric vehicles are encouraging innovation around them. Supporting lower rolling resistance, the tyres are pushing suppliers and OEMs to explore new technological innovations. A leading German auto supplier for example has developed a ‘mechanical’ technology to ensure superior manoeuvring with near 180 degrees turn of the steered wheels. 
This is a development that could be applied to ICE rear-wheel drive vehicles as well. Even, light-duty commercial vehicles such as the Tata Ace/1000 or the Switch Iev3/Iev4 that are aimed at the last mile delivery segment were backing up into a tight parking spot or navigating through a narrow lane is part of the job. 
As designers and engineers toy with the idea of larger wheel wells and the ability of the steered – front – wheels to turn as much as 180 degrees, the use of narrower, bigger diameter tyres with low rolling resistance in electric vehicles is spurring yet another round of innovation, albeit as a part of the entire platform architecture that is rather software driven and subject to much virtual development in the interest of ‘time-to-market’ and a differentiated user experience. 
With over 14 million small electric vehicles sold in 2023 the world over, the push has been to develop tyres that enhance operation and performance. Provide a typical ‘family’ car the ability to transform into a sports car given the wave of high torque available from the word ‘go’ in an electric vehicle. 
With electric vehicle sales poised to increase 17.5 percent year-on-year globally to bridge 41.2 million units in 2029, electric vehicle tyres are expected to facilitate a further drop in rolling resistance while employing sustainable raw materials, technologies and manufacturing processes. 
A sustainable EV tire design should consider the whole lifecycle of the product. Tires can be composed of well over 100 different raw materials. These are mixed and the rubber compounds are machined resulting is several components of the tire construction. EV tires are expected to be stronger and lighter, with less rolling resistance due to its importance in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. 
A key challenge being the development of tyre formulations for electric vehicles with the tread compound that is more resistant to abrasion, it is the instant torque availability that is necessitating tyres that may look like ICE vehicle tyres but are quite different in the way they handle traction and aid a longer drive range. There is the issue of kerb weight as well, not to overlook the new environmental pressures for durability and abrasion resistance. 
Interestingly, new opportunities are being created on the vehicle engineering and dynamics side as well as on the side of electric vehicle tyre development and manufacture. 
Starting with materials that are broadly classified as ‘renewable’ (can be sustained on time) and as ‘recycled’ (re-used and made from recovered end-of-life tyres), it is the tandem mixers that are producing more homogeneous rubber compounds, including tread compounds that employ optimised silica fillers.
Tyres for electric vehicles are demanding the use of triple or quadruple extruders for treads and sidewalls as per the vehicle weight, application and dynamics. Roller head or roller die units are also being used to produce inner liners as a single or multilayer sheet
In terms of textile coating of steel cord components in e-vehicle tyres, four-roll and Z-type calendars are used. Also, full tyre assembly machines that can produce tyres to tighter tolerances, higher specs such as superior uniformity and sans operator invention. 
With electric vehicle tyres and ICE vehicle tyres being tested and validated differently primarily because of the higher load bearing capacity and low rolling resistance, electric vehicle tyres are made up of a different (softer) rubber compound than regular tyres with an eye on less noise, mentioned a testing expert at an OEM that is increasingly producing electric vehicles in India. 
Pointing at an electric passenger vehicle the company launched in India recently, he averred, “Softer compounds are used to ensure less rolling noise and better transmission of torque from the motors to the road.” 
With finer tolerances in need, optical machine vision systems for end-of-line quality inspections, including new technologies such as X-rays to check steel belts, cords and bead reinforcement are increasingly used. 
They are used to check for air bubbles in inner liners as well. Advances in tyre design and manufacture include new developments in simulation software to model the performance of new designs quickly. This is without material input cots. 
AI is being increasingly used to ensure superior analysis. AI is also used to automate manufacturing process as part of Industry 4.0 workflows.