Sales of pure electric vehicles reached 296,000 units, up 1.5 times year-on-year.

China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales reached 357,000 units in September, up 148 percent year-on-year and up 11 percent from August, according to data released Tuesday by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

(Data: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Graphic: CnEVPost)

Among them, sales of pure electric vehicles reached 296,000 units, up 1.5 times year-on-year. Sales of plug-in hybrids were 61,000 units, up 1.4 times year-on-year. Sales of fuel cell models were 173 units, up 172 times year-on-year, the CAAM said.

The CAAM's sales figures are slightly higher than figures released earlier today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), which showed retail sales of 334,000 new energy passenger vehicles in China in September.

You can see the difference between the CAAM's data and the CPCA's data in the article below.

Factbox: What is the difference between CPCA and CAAM's China auto sales data?

China's NEV production in September was 353,000 units, up 1.5 times year-on-year, including 291,000 units of pure electric vehicles, up 1.6 times year-on-year.

Production of plug-in hybrid vehicles was 62,000 units in September, up 1.2 times year-on-year. Production of fuel cell vehicles was 155 units, up 50.7 times year-on-year.

China's NEV penetration rate was 17.3 percent in September, and the penetration rate of new energy passenger vehicles was 19.5 percent, the CAAM said.

From January to September, China's new energy vehicle sales were 2.157 million units up 1.9 times year-on-year, and production was 2.166 million units, up 1.8 times year-on-year.

From January to September, China's pure electric vehicle sales were 1.789 million units and production was 1.803 million units, both up 2 times year-on-year. Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles were 367,000 units, up 1.4 times year-on-year, and production was 362,000 units, up 1.1 times year-on-year.

From January to September, fuel cell vehicle sales were 906 units, up 56.5 percent year-on-year, and production was 879 units, up 54.2 percent year-on-year.

In contrast, the Chinese auto market as a whole saw a sharp decline in sales and production in September.

Sales of all vehicles in September were 2.067 million units, down 19.6 percent year-on-year and down 14.9 percent from August. Production was 2.077 million units, down 17.9 percent year-on-year and 20.4 percent from August.

From January to September, China's auto sales were 18.623 million units, up 8.7 percent year-on-year, and production was 18.243 million units, up 7.5 percent year-on-year.

Among passenger cars, sales in September were 1.751 million units, down 16.5 percent year-on-year, and production was 1.767 million units, down 13.9 percent.

The auto industry was still significantly affected by the chip shortage in September, which affected production and sales to some extent, the CAAM said.

China passenger NEV retail sales exceed 300,000 units for first time in Sept