China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales reached 217,000 units in May, up 159.7 percent from a year ago and 5.4 percent from April, according to data released Friday by the China Association of Automobile Manufactures (CAAM).
(Data: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Graphic: CnEVPost)
Sales of new energy passenger vehicles in May were 204,000 units, up 168.6 percent from a year earlier and 5.9 percent from the previous month. Sales of new energy commercial vehicles were 13,000 units, up 72.1 percent year-on-year and down 1.6 percent from the previous month.
Pure electric vehicles accounted for the majority of new energy passenger vehicle sales, with 166,000 units sold in May, up 180 percent year-on-year. A total of 38,000 plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles were sold in May, up 128.3 percent year-on-year.
China's new energy vehicle production in May was 217,000 units, up 151.7 percent year-on-year.
Among them, the output of new energy passenger vehicles was 204,000 units, up 163.8 percent year-on-year and up 0.4 percent from the previous month. Production of new energy commercial vehicles was 13,000 units, up 46.1 percent year-on-year and 0.7 percent from the previous month.
All vehicle sales in China were 2.128 million units in May, down 3.1 percent from the previous month.
(Data: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Graphic: CnEVPost)
Shi Jianhua, deputy secretary-general of the CAAM, said the main reason for the lower auto sales in May was the tight supply of chips, and it is believed that June's figures will not be too optimistic.
The chip shortage problem had a very big impact on China's auto sales in the second quarter, and the situation will be somewhat alleviated by the end of the third quarter, Shi said.
The impact of the chip problem on auto production continues, while the significant price hike of raw materials has also affected the industry chain, Shi said, adding that it requires the whole industry chain to work together to solve the problem.
Cumulative auto sales in China from January to May were 10.875 million units, up 36.6 percent year-on-year.
Passenger car sales in May were 1.646 million units, down 1.7 percent year-on-year and 3.4 percent from the previous month. Commercial vehicle sales were 484,000 units, down 7.4 percent year-on-year and down 12.1 percent from the previous month.
China's auto exports in May were 151,000 units, up 208.4 percent year-on-year. A total of 670,000 units were exported from January to May.
The export volume of new energy vehicles in May was 19,000 units, up 859.7 percent year-on-year and down 17.9 percent from the previous month.
China accounts for 47% of global new energy vehicle sales in Jan-April
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