BEIJING -- China's exports of new energy passenger vehicles edged up 0.1 percent year-on-year in February, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed.

A total of 79,000 new energy passenger vehicles were exported last month, according to the association.

In February, retail sales of passenger vehicles totaled nearly 1.1 million units, down 21 percent year-on-year, the association said. It attributed this decrease to consumer demand being fulfilled in advance as the Spring Festival this year fell on Feb 10.

In the first two months of the year, a total of 3.13 million passenger vehicles were sold, up 17 percent year-on-year, according to the association.