BMW Group India President and CEO Hardeep Singh Brar has strongly opposed price-based caps on electric vehicle road-tax benefits, warning that such limitations could undermine India's clean-vehicle transition. According to reports from Business Standard, Brar stated during a media roundtable that "the state government needs to follow what the central government is doing. So, road tax exemption should be there without any cap." He emphasized that different approaches between the Centre and states can confuse customers and undermine broader objectives of encouraging electric vehicles.
BMW's electric vehicle adoption has shown significant growth momentum in the Indian market. As reported by Business Standard, EVs accounted for 26% of BMW's total volume sales in India during the first half of 2026. Brar projected that the share will cross 30% in the second half of 2026 and reach 35-40% next year. This growth trajectory reflects the company's strategic focus on electric mobility as part of its global expansion strategy.
The Delhi government's new EV policy, effective from July 1, limits full road-tax and registration-fee exemption to electric cars priced up to ₹30 lakh. According to Business Standard, Brar warned that Delhi risks losing luxury-car buyers to neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where tax burdens can be lower. He noted that high-end customers often have flexibility to register vehicles outside Delhi, and customers may choose petrol or diesel cars with higher-capacity engines instead of electric vehicles under the current policy framework.
India has emerged as BMW's fastest-growing market globally this year, with the country moving into BMW's top 20 markets worldwide from outside the top 20 last year. As reported by Business Standard, the company now aims to move India into the top 15 markets, reflecting the growing importance of the Indian market for the luxury carmaker. BMW's luxury-car sales are expanding beyond India's biggest cities, with the top 10 markets accounting for around 70% of overall volumes and 65-70% of EV volumes.
BMW India has implemented three price increases this year with a cumulative increase of around 4-5%. According to Business Standard, Brar indicated the company is considering another price increase potentially next month due to currency and commodity-cost pressures. The 2026 7 Series facelift was launched at a starting price of ₹1.95 crore, highlighting the premium positioning of BMW's offerings in the Indian luxury car market.
