(Yicai) July 21 -- Anhui province kept its position as China's leading provincial-level region for vehicle production in the first half of this year, after overtaking Guangdong province last year.

Anhui produced 1.69 million vehicles in the six months ended June 30, up over 12 percent from a year earlier and accounting for 11 percent of the national total, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics yesterday.

Guangdong ranked second after making 1.38 million vehicles, followed by Zhejiang province with 1.17 million and Jiangsu province with 1.12 million, NBS data also showed.

Anhui was also the country’s largest producer of new energy vehicles. Its NEV output climbed 27 percent to 881,800 units, followed by Zhejiang with 855,700, Shanghai with 726,700, and Jiangsu with 696,000.

Anhui's main vehicle manufacturing hubs were the cities of Wuhu and Hefei. Chery Automobile, which is based in Wuhu, sold 1.36 million vehicles in the first half, greatly contributing to the province's total output.

Hefei, the provincial capital, is home to the factories of leading carmakers, including NEV giant BYD, electric vehicle startup Nio, and Volkswagen Anhui, a joint venture between Germany’s Volkswagen Group and China’s JAC Motor. Among them, Nio delivered a record 191,123 units over the six months, up more than 67 percent from the same period last year.

Chinese automakers are in the early stages of global expansion, and exports were a big contributor to Anhui's vehicle sales. NBS data showed that the province exported one million vehicles, almost one-fifth of its total output, ranking first in China. Chery Auto was the largest contributor, having exported 931,600 units, up 71 percent from a year earlier.

But as NEV adoption increases apace, Anhui's lead faces challenges. For instance, in March and April, Zhejiang province briefly surpassed it for NEV production. As exports continue to rise and EV production shifts among regions, the race to claim the title of China's leading automotive province remains open and highly competitive.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione