Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China narrowed contraction as the world's largest auto market steadily expands its recovery, industry data showed.

The year-on-year sales drop during the January-May period was 4.7 percentage points smaller than that registered in the first four months, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

Some 289,000 NEVs were sold within the period, while about 295,000 units were produced, down 38.7 percent and 39.7 percent, respectively, year on year.

The decrease in NEV production narrowed by 5.1 percentage points from the January-April period.

CAAM data also showed China's auto market ramped up expansion in recovery last month, with both production and sales clocking double-digit growth that was much higher than April.

The year-on-year growth in output and sales was 15.9 percentage points and 10.1 percentage points higher than those registered in April, respectively.

In April, automobile sales increased by 4.4 percent year on year to 2.07 million units, ending a contraction streak over the previous 21 months. 

Read more: China auto sales up for second straight month after almost two-year slump

(Cover image: A charging pile on a street of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 12, 2020. /VCG)