China’s new electric vehicle (NEV) passenger car sales accounted for almost a quarter of the country’s total car sales in September as sales extended their surge.

Electric and hybrid-electric car sales accounted for 23.6pc of total passenger car sales in September, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) data.

The share edged down from 23.7pc in August but was still the third highest on record.

NEV passenger cars accounted for 11pc of total sales in 2021 and less than 6pc of the total in 2020.

Their share of total car sales rose as sales more than doubled in eight of first nine months of this year.

The trend contrasted with a dip in passenger car sales in the second quarter of the year and a growth rate of less than 43pc in the four months to September.

China’s lube demand slowed this year in response to a sharp slowdown in economic growth amid frequent lockdowns throughout the country to thwart any breakouts of the Covid-19 virus.