CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA: Vehicles powered by conventional fuels such as petrol and ethanol continued to dominate sales in Tripura, but electric vehicles (EVs), a relatively new entrant in the automobile market, were also gaining ground. In September, EV sales in the state grew by 19.6 per cent, with 966 units sold compared with the corresponding period last year. Sajib Saha, chairperson of the Tripura state unit of the Federation of Indian Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), said the growth in the sector was lower than that in southern states, but the emerging trend was encouraging. He added that people were showing interest in buying electric vehicles.
Commenting on the automobile market's performance in September, Saha said total vehicle retail sales in the state stood at 4,883 units, marking a growth of 28 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year. According to a statement released by FADA, two-wheelers remained the largest segment, with 3,047 units sold, registering growth of 28.3 per cent. Private vehicle registrations stood at 687, up 62.8 per cent.
In terms of fuel type, petrol-ethanol vehicles remained dominant, accounting for 64.9 per cent of the market, with 3,171 units sold, a growth of 28.2 per cent compared with the previous year. Electric vehicles recorded sales of 966 units during the period, accounting for a market share of 19.8 per cent. CNG/LPG vehicles were the next-largest non-EV category, accounting for 9.4 per cent of the market and registering growth of 43.4 per cent compared with the previous year. At the national level, the automobile market also recorded encouraging overall growth of 31.82 per cent.
Also Read: Letters to the Editor: Rising popularity of electric vehicles