(Yicai Global) Oct. 13 -- China's new energy vehicle sales increased at the fastest pace in 15 months last month as the auto sector’s recovery outdid expectations.

NEV sales almost doubled in September from a year earlier, the fastest clip since June last year, thanks to sales of small and high-end models, according to a report the China Passenger Car Association released today.

Overall passenger car sales rose 7.3 percent to 1.91 million in the month. SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile ranked first with sales of 24,386 units, followed by BYD with 19,048 and California-based Tesla at 11,329. Chinese electric vehicle startups Nio and Xpeng Motors also performed well.

"Ever more multinational companies consider the Chinese market a haven amid the global auto recession," CPCA Secretary General Cui Dongshu said.

Rising consumption and greater promotion of luxury models boosted deluxe car sales 33 percent from a year ago and roughly 5 percent from August to a record high market share of about a 15 percent, a breakdown of the CPCA data showed.

The nation’s auto market is expected to pick up further this month, a peak season for passenger car sales. The relatively forgiving pandemic situation during the eight-day combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays have also boosted confidence in a fourth-quarter economic recovery among Chinese consumers.

First-quarter auto sales were 2.08 million units fewer than a year ago because of China’s lunar new year holiday and the pandemic's impact, but these figures bounced backed in the second and third quarters. Passenger car sales totted up 12.9 million units in the first nine months, down 12.5 percent from a year earlier. 

Exports of both assembled and knock-down vehicles totaled 62,000 last month in an annual 33 percent rise, with those from Chinese car brands up 134 percent on the year at 57,000, with those from joint-venture marques down 80 percent, export data showed.

Editor: Ben Armour