New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- Indian automobile retail recorded its biggest-ever August as alternative fuels overtook petrol in the passenger vehicle segment for the first time in history, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).

Total vehicle retail registrations reached 24,23,201 units in August 2026, marking a 17.51 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period last year. Retails, however, slipped 6.48 per cent month-on-month due to seasonal monsoon patterns and calendar shifts that moved festival buying into September.

FADA President Sai Giridhar identified the historic shift in passenger vehicle powertrains as the defining element of the performance.

"The defining development of the month, however, w...