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.