August 2025 EV Sales: Telangana Data Flips Rankings as Ather Overtakes Ola for First Time

September 5, 2025 - India's electric two-wheeler market witnessed a historic moment in August 2025 when delayed Telangana registration data fundamentally altered national rankings for the first time, with Ather Energy leapfrogging Ola Electric to claim the coveted second position behind market leader TVS Motor Company.

The Telangana Game-Changer: 1,887 Units That Rewrote History

While initial August sales reports, published on September 1st based on Vahan portal data, showed Ola Electric maintaining its traditional second position with 18,983 units, versus Ather's 17,897 units, the inclusion of Telangana's monthly registration data completely flipped this narrative.

August 2025 Final Rankings (Including Telangana):

TVS Motor Company: 26,965 units (2,810 from Telangana)
Ather Energy: 20,800 units (2,903 from Telangana) ↗️
Ola Electric: 19,999 units (1,016 from Telangana) ↘️
Hero MotoCorp's Vida: 14,116 units (789 from Telangana)
Bajaj Auto's Chetak: 12,687 units (908 from Telangana)
Greaves Electric Mobility's Ampere: 4,640 units (142 from Telangana)

The decisive factor proved to be Ather's exceptional performance in Telangana, where the Bengaluru-based company registered 2,903 units compared to Ola's modest 1,016 units. This 1,887-unit swing in a single state was sufficient to vault Ather from third place nationally to second, marking the first instance where Telangana's separate data portal has materially impacted India's EV rankings.

Breaking the Pattern: When Regional Data Started Mattering

Historically, Telangana's delayed monthly data release rarely affected final market standings, as the state's contribution was insufficient to alter established hierarchies. However, August 2025 represents an inflexion point where Telangana's rapidly expanding EV market - now contributing nearly 14% of Ather's total national sales versus just 5% for Ola has grown significantly enough to influence national competitive dynamics.

"This marks a watershed moment for EV market analysis in India," noted industry observers. "For the first time, we're seeing how regional market penetration strategies can decisively impact national rankings when accounting for all registration data sources."

TVS Maintains Dominance Despite Supply Chain Challenges

TVS Motor Company retained its commanding first position with 26,965 total units, demonstrating remarkable supply chain resilience amid the ongoing rare earth magnet shortage that severely impacted competitors. The company's superior dealer inventory management ahead of the festive season helped maintain its fifth consecutive month of market leadership.

Bajaj's Production Crisis Deepens Rankings Impact

The August rankings were further influenced by Bajaj Auto's dramatic performance decline, falling to fifth position with just 12,687 units due to production constraints from rare earth magnet shortages. This created additional competitive space that Ather successfully capitalised on through its strong south and Gujarat showing.

Hero MotoCorp's Vida brand maintained steady growth at fourth position with 14,116 units, while Greaves Electric's Ampere struggled at sixth place with 4,640 units.

The August results reveal significant market share redistribution:

TVS Motor: 31.1% (maintaining leadership)
Ather Energy: 24.0% (gaining ground)
Ola Electric: 23.1% (losing share)
Hero Vida: 16.3% (steady growth)
Bajaj Chetak: 14.6% (declining due to supply issues)

Early September Trends: Recovery and Rivalry

Early September data from the first five days suggests continued market volatility. Bajaj Chetak has staged a dramatic comeback, topping daily sales with 2,724 units on September 5th as production constraints ease. Meanwhile, Ather (2,666 units) and Ola (1,922 units) are positioned for another close monthly battle.

Industry projections suggest September could see Bajaj reclaim a top-three position while Ola and Ather engage in their second consecutive month of intense competition for market positioning.

Industry Implications: Data Transparency Challenges

The August revelation underscores ongoing challenges with India's EV data ecosystem. While the Vahan portal provides daily updates for most states, Telangana's separate monthly reporting creates information gaps that can mislead early market analysis and impact manufacturer planning.

As India's EV two-wheeler market approaches 1.5 million annual sales, the August 2025 rankings demonstrate that success now requires not just national scale but strategic regional market penetration, particularly in high-growth states like Telangana, where local preferences and dealer networks can decisively influence national competitive standings.

The September battle between Ather and Ola, set against Bajaj's production recovery, promises to determine whether August's Telangana-driven rankings shift represents a new competitive reality or a one-month anomaly in India's rapidly evolving electric mobility landscape.