China’s Auto Sales Post a Jump in September

Car sales in China recorded growth for the sixth consecutive month in September, increasing by 12.8% as the world’s largest car market recovered from low levels recorded in light of the isolation measures related to the Corona virus.

September and October are usually considered a peak sales period in the sector after the hot summer months when buyers shy away from auto showrooms.

The China Auto Producers Association said sales reached 2.57 million cars last month, but recorded a 6.9% drop since the start of the year to 17.12 million cars.

Chen Xihua, a senior official with the federation, told reporters that the Beijing auto show and the promotional campaigns and policies the government adopted to support the auto sector helped slow growth in September.

Passenger car sales rose 8% in September. Geely Automobile Holdings Inc., Great Wall Motor and Toyota Motor were among the companies that recorded double-digit growth.

New energy vehicles in particular also performed well, with sales increasing 67.7% to 138,000 cars, marking gains for the third month in a row. New energy vehicles include those that run on electricity through batteries, hybrid engines that rely on electricity and gasoline, and cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells.