China's auto sales rose by 74.9 percent year on year to 2.53 million units in March, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed Friday. 

In the January-March period, the country's auto sales rose by 75.6 percent year on year to 6.48 million units, according to the CAAM.

Last month, sales of passenger vehicles increased by 77.4 percent year on year to 1.87 million units, while the figure for new energy vehicles (NEVs) surged by 238.9 percent to 226,000 units.

In the first three months, sales of passenger vehicles climbed by 75.1 percent year on year to 5.08 million units.

The negative impact of the chip shortage on China's automobile production in the second quarter will be greater than in the first quarter, the CAAM said.

China in 2021 aims to expand its economy by over 6 percent and will stabilize and expand consumption, according to this year's government work report.

Amid efforts to fully tap domestic market potential and expand domestic demand, the country will encourage steady increases in spending on automobiles among other big-ticket items, the report said.

(With input from Xinhua)