China's auto sales up 27% in 2021, but hurt by chip shortage

An industry group says China’s auto sales rose 27% in the first half of 2021 from a year earlier but still were below pre-pandemic levels

BEIJING -- China’s auto sales rose 27% in the first half of 2021 from a year earlier but still were below pre-pandemic levels, and production and sales fell in June due to global shortages of processor chips, an industry group reported Friday. Sales of SUVs, sedans and minivans from January to June in the global industry's biggest market rose to 10 million, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said. Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, rose 25.6% from a year earlier to 12.9 million. Compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, passenger vehicle sales were off 1.4% in the first half, according to CAAM. Total vehicle sales were down 4.4%. Passenger vehicle production fell 13.7% in June from a year earlier while sales were down 11.1% at 1.6 million.