CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has recorded a sharp rise in electric vehicle (EV) registrations over the past three years, with total registrations climbing from 90,305 in 2023 to 1,33,710 in 2024 and further to 1,74,477 in 2025, reflecting a strong year-on-year growth trajectory.
Data from the VAHAN portal, tabled in the Lok Sabha on March 19, 2026, show a clear increase in EV adoption between 2023 and 2025, with urban and industrial districts such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Chengalpattu, Tirupur and Salem accounting for a significant share of total registrations. The growth trend is visible across categories, though at varying speeds.
Electric two-wheelers continue to dominate the EV landscape, forming the bulk of registrations across the state. Chennai saw registrations rise from 13,630 in 2023 to 15,395 in 2025, while Coimbatore nearly doubled from 7,737 to 14,265. Tirupur recorded a sharp increase from 5,530 to 12,230 during the same period. Even smaller districts such as Dindigul, Theni and Tenkasi reported steady gains, underlining the widespread appeal of two-wheelers due to their affordability and ease of use.
While urban and industrial clusters see uptick in EV registrations, interior districts like Dharmapuri, Ariyalur and Perambalur lag. In 2025, Dharmapuri has recorded electric two-wheeler registrations fewer than 4,000
Electric cars are also witnessing a steady uptick, particularly in urban centres. In Chennai, registrations of electric cars rose sharply from 1,943 in 2023 to 6,307 in 2025. Coimbatore and Chengalpattu also posted strong growth, with numbers more than doubling over the three-year period. Though still far behind two-wheelers in overall volumes, the pace of increase indicates growing consumer confidence and improved ecosystem support.
Electric three-wheelers, widely used for commercial transport, have expanded across several districts. Chennai reported a significant rise in this segment, while cities such as Madurai and Tiruchy also saw notable increases, reflecting their role in last-mile connectivity.
In the public transport segment, electric bus deployment has gathered momentum at the national level, with thousands of buses sanctioned and a substantial number already operational, signalling a gradual shift towards cleaner mass transit.
Despite the overall growth, disparities persist across districts. Interior regions such as Dharmapuri, Ariyalur and Perambalur continue to lag behind major urban centres. For instance, Dharmapuri recorded fewer than 4,000 electric two-wheelers in 2025, far lower than leading districts.
The data point to a widening urban-rural gap in EV adoption, driven by differences in infrastructure, awareness and access to financing. Even so, the steady rise in registrations across categories suggests that Tamil Nadu’s transition to electric mobility is gaining momentum, with two-wheelers leading the shift and other segments gradually catching up.
2023: 90,305
2024: 1,33,710
2025: 1,74,477
Growth pattern
Electric two-wheelers
Dist 2023 2025
Chennai: 13,630 15,395
Coimbatore: 7,737 14,265
Tirupur: 5,530 12,230
Electric cars
Dist 2023 2025
Chennai: 1,943 6,307
Coimbatore: 906 3,575
Chengalpattu: 662 2,294
Electric three-wheelers
Dist 2023 2025
Chennai: 1,136 2,414
Madurai: 50 1183