With ethanol blend uncertainty, waiting period for EVs stretches up to a month

June 11, 2026

As uncertainty grows over India's future ethanol-blending roadmap, buyers are turning towards electric vehicles, resulting in waiting periods of up to a month for several popular EVs across segments.

India's push towards higher ethanol-blended fuels is appearing to influence car-buying decisions, and electric vehicles appear to be among the biggest beneficiaries. As concerns grow over the future notification of higher ethanol blends such as E22, E25, E27 and E30, waiting periods for several popular electric cars have started stretching to a month and, in some cases, much longer.

Higher ethanol roadmap raises questions among buyers

The development comes at a time when the government is appearing to accelerate its ethanol-blending programme. India exempted petrol blended with 22 to 30 percent ethanol from excise duty, signalling policy support for higher ethanol adoption in the future.

Although such fuels are not yet available at retail outlets, the government had already notified fuel standards for E22, E25, E27 and E30 blends in May, indicating that E20 may not be the final stage of the country's ethanol roadmap.

Adding to the debate, a recent LocalCircles survey suggests that fuel uncertainty is beginning to impact consumer sentiment. The survey, which gathered responses from more than 28,000 prospective vehicle buyers across 311 districts, found that 43 percent of respondents may postpone or reconsider purchasing a vehicle over the next year due to concerns surrounding E20 petrol and the possibility of a future transition to E30 fuel.

The study also highlighted changing powertrain preferences. Only 6 percent of respondents said they intend to purchase a new petrol vehicle within the next 12 months. In contrast, electric vehicles attracted interest from 7 percent of buyers, while another 7 percent preferred hybrid vehicles. Combined, EVs and hybrids accounted for 14 percent of intended purchases, more than double the share of conventional petrol-powered vehicles. Another 30 percent of respondents said they currently have no plans to buy a vehicle, while 12 percent remain undecided.

EV waiting periods begin to climb

The uncertainty surrounding future fuel compatibility, combined with rising fuel prices, is increasingly pushing buyers to consider electric vehicles. We went to multiple showrooms of different car brands and got to know that the waiting period for most popular EVs are up to 1 month and even beyond.

Maruti Suzuki's maiden EV, the e Vitara currently commands a waiting period of around three to four weeks. VinFast's VF 6 has a waiting period of nearly two months, while the larger VF 7 ranges between 15 days and two months depending on the variant and location.

Mahindra's electric SUV lineup continues to witness strong demand. The XEV 9S carries a waiting period of approximately 1.5 months, while customers opting for the XEV 9e may need to wait around a month for delivery. Hyundai's Creta Electric is also seeing a waiting period of roughly one month in several markets.

Tata Motors, India's largest electric passenger vehicle manufacturer, continues to experience healthy demand across its EV portfolio. The Tiago EV has a waiting period of around two to three weeks, while the Nexon EV and Curvv EV require nearly six weeks. The recently launched Harrier EV stands out with one of the longest waiting periods in the segment, extending up to 30 weeks in certain regions.

EV adoption hits a new high

The growing demand aligns with broader market trends. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), electric vehicles accounted for more than 11 percent of total vehicle retail sales in May 2026, crossing the milestone for the first time. Total EV retail sales rose 45 percent year-on-year to 2.71 lakh units during the month.

Electric passenger vehicles were among the strongest performers, with retail sales surging 81.2 percent year-on-year to 26,682 units. EV penetration in the passenger vehicle segment improved to 6.6 percent from 4.5 percent in May last year.

FADA noted that rising fuel costs and increasing awareness of lower running costs have strengthened the appeal of electric vehicles. The prospect of higher ethanol blends being introduced in the coming years appears to be adding another factor to the purchase decision for many consumers.

Source : www.indiatoday.in

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