China's light vehicle, commercial truck sales rise to record 18.5M in 2011
China's sales of light vehicles and commercial trucks rose 2.5 percent to 18.5 million units last year -- a record level despite a sharp slowdown in the growth rate.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers released the sales figures last week.
By contrast, total vehicle sales in China jumped 33 percent in 2010.
The sales growth rate began to slow last year after China's government eliminated a scrappage incentive and raised the sales tax on small cars.
In 2012, sales of light vehicles and commercial trucks will reach 20 million units in 2012 -- up more than 8 percent from last year -- as the nation's economy continues to grow, CAAM predicted.
Passenger vehicle sales are expected to rise 9.5 percent to 15.9 million units, while commercial truck sales are expected to increase 2 percent to 4.1 million units, Shi Jianhua, CAAM's vice secretary general told journalists.
