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China auto sales surge in July

Out of first gear and getting back up to speed, China's auto sales surged in July.

They climbed 16.4% from a year earlier, a fourth consecutive month of gains.

The world's biggest vehicle market is returning from the lows hit during crippling restrictions.

China's auto association still expects sales to fall around 10% this year though.

And a second wave of infections could double the slide.

In a promising sign for global automakers which have invested heavily in electric vehicles for the China market, sales of new energy vehicles ended 12 straight months of decline with a 19.3% jump.

The association expects NEV sales of over a million vehicles this year.

That's a drop of around 11% from last year - which is in part due to a cut in government subsidies last year.

Sales of trucks and other commercial vehicles, which make up around a quarter of the market, surged 59.4%.

That was driven by government investment in infrastructure as well as tougher emission rules introduced this year.

Sales of passenger vehicles rose 8.5%.

Automakers which have reported sales growth in July include Great Wall Motors, Geely and Toyota.