(Yicai) Feb. 18 -- Automobile sales in China recorded a slight decline last month, mainly because of the impact of the Chinese New Year holiday, despite being bolstered by favorable policies.

China’s car sales fell 0.6 percent to 2.423 million units in January from a year earlier, according to the data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers yesterday. Automobile production rose 1.7 percent to 2.45 million units.

However, compared to December, January’s car production and sales plunged 27 percent and 31 percent, respectively, CAAM data also showed.

The production and sales of passenger vehicles grew 3.3 percent and 0.8 percent to 2.151 million and 2.133 million units, respectively, according to CAAM data. Meanwhile, commercial vehicle production and sales dropped 8.6 percent and 10.3 percent to about 299,000 and 290,000 units, respectively.

The new energy vehicle market continued to show strong performance, with NEV production and sales in China soaring 29 percent to 1.015 million and 944,000 units, respectively, in January from a year earlier.

In terms of exports, China shipped around 470,000 vehicles abroad last month, a 6.1 percent increase from the same period last year. NEV exports totaled 150,000 units, up 50 percent and accounting for nearly 32 percent of the total.

Editor: Futura Costaglione