BEIJING, Oct. 14 -- China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sector maintained strong momentum in production and sales in the first nine months of the year, according to industry data released Tuesday.

NEV production jumped 35.2 percent year on year to 11.24 million units during the first three quarters, as reported by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

Sales during the same period climbed 34.9 percent year on year to nearly 11.23 million units, accounting for 46.1 percent of total vehicle sales in China, CAAM data showed.

According to the CAAM data, China's auto industry maintained robust production and sales during the period, driven by trade-in programs, local auto shows, and intensive new product launches.

Total auto output reached 24.33 million units in the period, marking a 13.3 percent year-on-year increase, while sales grew 12.9 percent to 24.36 million units.

Tuesday's data also showed that China's auto exports maintained steady growth momentum, with a 14.8 percent year-on-year increase. Notably, NEV exports surged 89.4 percent year on year to 1.76 million units.