<article><p class="lead">China's new energy vehicle (NEV) production and sales once again set new monthly records in May.</p><p>The country produced 217,000 NEVs in May, up by 150pc from a year earlier and by 0.5pc from April, China's automotive manufacturers association (CAAM) data show.</p><p>NEV sales in May were 217,000 vehicles, up by 160pc on the previous year and by 5.3pc from a month earlier.</p><p>Total NEV production during January-May reached 967,000, up by 220pc from a year earlier, with sales up by 220pc on the year to 938,000.</p><p>China's NEV market recovered rapidly from the Covid-19 pandemic in the second half of last year. The market has grown steadily this year bolstered by the government's supportive measures, including the extension of NEV subsidies to the end of 2022. </p><p>The country's state council last year announced a 15-year development plan that aims for NEVs to account for 20pc of the country's total vehicles sales by 2025. China's sales of new energy passenger cars accounted for 47pc of global total sales of 1.39mn units during January-April, according to China Passenger Car Association secretary-general Cui Dongshu.</p><p>The rise in China's NEV sales is in contrast to a fall in the country's total automotive sales, which in May fell by 1.7pc from a year earlier to 1.65mn, CAAM data show, partly because car manufacturers slowed output in response to a continuing and prolonged shortage of semiconductors.</p><p><table class='tbl-excel'><tr><td class='tbl-header'>China&#39;s NEV production and sales </td><td class='tbl-header'></td><td class='tbl-header'></td><td class='tbl-header tbl-right tbl-italic'></td><td class='tbl-header tbl-right tbl-italic'></td><td class='tbl-header tbl-right tbl-italic'> units</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-columnheader tbl-bold tbl-left'>Type</td><td class='tbl-columnheader tbl-bold tbl-right'>21-May</td><td class='tbl-columnheader tbl-bold tbl-right'>Y-o-y &#177; %</td><td class='tbl-columnheader tbl-bold tbl-right'>M-o-m &#177; %</td><td class='tbl-columnheader tbl-bold tbl-right'>Jan-May 21</td><td class='tbl-columnheader tbl-bold tbl-right'> &#177; %</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-rowspace'></td><td class='tbl-rowspace'></td><td class='tbl-rowspace'></td><td></td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-subheader'></td><td class='tbl-subheader'></td><td class='tbl-subheader'></td><td class='tbl-subheader'></td><td class='tbl-subheader'></td><td class='tbl-subheader'></td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left tbl-bold'>Total production</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>217,000</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>150.0</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>0.5</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>967,000</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>220.0</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left'>Pure-electric</td><td class='tbl-right'>181,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>180.0</td><td class='tbl-right'>-0.5</td><td class='tbl-right'>818,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>260.0</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left'>Plug-in hybrids</td><td class='tbl-right'>36,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>67.8</td><td class='tbl-right'>5.9</td><td class='tbl-right'>149,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>110.0</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left'>Fuel-cell</td><td class='tbl-right'>38</td><td class='tbl-right'>-41.5</td><td class='tbl-right'>5.6</td><td class='tbl-right'>188</td><td class='tbl-right'>-47.3</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left tbl-bold'>Total sales</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>217,000</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>160.0</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>5.3</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>950,000</td><td class='tbl-right tbl-bold'>220.0</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left'>Pure-electric</td><td class='tbl-right'>181,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>170.0</td><td class='tbl-right'>5.8</td><td class='tbl-right'>794,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>250.0</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left'>Plug-in hybrids</td><td class='tbl-right'>39,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>120.0</td><td class='tbl-right'>11.4</td><td class='tbl-right'>156,000</td><td class='tbl-right'>130.0</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-left'>Fuel-cell</td><td class='tbl-right'>39</td><td class='tbl-right'>-90.0</td><td class='tbl-right'>2.6</td><td class='tbl-right'>207</td><td class='tbl-right'>-44.1</td></tr><tr><td class='tbl-right' colspan='6'>— CAAM</td></tr></table></p></article>