Monthly sales of cars in China rose for the first time in 22 months, easing restrictions on coronavirus and resuming business. According to Reuters, a sector authority indicated that the annual figure will likely decrease by up to 25 percent if the pandemic continues. April's sales data and gloomy forecasts shed light on the difficulties facing the world's largest auto market, as it suffers from a long-running slowdown in demand, exacerbated by Trade war with the United States and then the current global health crisis. Even if China contains the outbreak effectively, it is expected that its auto sales will fall 15 percent this year, said the China Automobile Manufacturers Association, the country's largest industry association. Of 25 million units in 2019.
The new energy category includes battery-powered electric cars and rechargeable hybrid cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
Car sales in China fell 79 percent in February and 43 percent in March, affected by the virus, as strict household law enforcement discouraged buyers from buying. The last increase in monthly sales was in June 2018. Chen Shihua, an official with the federation, said that China's exports of cars are expected to decrease by 200 thousand units this year from about one million in 2019, as the virus reduces global demand. Adding that closing factories worldwide may disrupt supply chains on which China’s production depends.
