New-vehicle gross sales in China spiked 75 % in March to method 2.53 million deliveries regardless of the continuing microchip scarcity, the China Affiliation of Vehicle Producers mentioned Friday.
 
The stronger-than-expected rebound was attributable to abnormally low quantity a yr earlier when the coronavirus outbreak severely affected Chinese language enterprise actions together with auto gross sales, the trade group mentioned.
 
Final month, deliveries of recent gentle automobiles — sedans, crossovers, SUVs, multipurpose automobiles and minibuses – surged 77 % to high 1.87 million.
 
Demand for brand spanking new industrial automobiles akin to vans and buses additionally jumped 68 % to some 651,000 deliveries.
 
Within the month, gross sales of EVs soared 240 % to round 226,000. The quantity consists of some 190,000 full electrical automobiles, 36,000 plug-in hybrids and 59 gas cell automobiles.
 
For the primary quarter, industrywide new-vehicle gross sales rebounded 76 % from a yr earlier to exceed 6.48 million deliveries.
 
Within the interval, new light-vehicle deliveries rallied 75 % to almost 5.08 million whereas new commercial-vehicle demand spiked 77 % to method 1.41 million.
 
Some 515,000 electrified automobiles had been bought within the first quarter, surging 280 % from a yr earlier. The tally consists of round 433,000 EVs, 82,000 plug-in hybrids and 150 gas cell automobiles.
 
Chip scarcity
CAAM warned the chip scarcity could generate an even bigger destructive influence on auto manufacturing in China within the second quarter than within the first quarter.
 
There received’t be a “noticeable” easing within the scarcity till the fourth quarter, it predicted.