Sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in China jumped 128 percent year on year in May to 35,000 vehicles as government subsidies and fleet sales pumped up demand.

 

For the month, sales of electric cars surged 162 percent year on year to 26,000 vehicles, while deliveries of plug-in hybrids rose 68 percent to 9,000 vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

 

For the year to date, combined sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids jumped 134 percent from a year earlier to 126,000 vehicles. That figure includes 92,000 EVs and 34,000 plug-in hybrids.

 

In China, only locally produced EVs, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell powered vehicles are entitled to government subsidies. Hybrids that don¡¯t have a recharging plug ¨C such as the Toyota Prius ¨C do not qualify for the subsidies. 

 

The association did not disclose sales of fuel-cell vehicles, which currently are minimal.