BEIJING, April 4 -- China's passenger vehicle sales stood at 1.7 million units in March, up 7 percent year on year, or 54 percent month on month, industry data showed.

In the first three months of this year, passenger vehicle sales totaled 4.84 million units, surging 13 percent year on year, according to the latest data from the China Passenger Car Association.

During the period, China's new energy vehicle (NEVs) sales rose 34 percent year on year to 1.76 million units.

In March alone, the country's NEV sales reached 698,000 units, up 28 percent year on year, or 80 percent month on month, the association added.