In this Oct 5, 2020 file photo, carmakers showcase 160 new energy vehicles at the 2020 Beijing auto show that concluded. (LI FUSHENG / CHINA DAILY)

BEIJING - China's automobile exports doubled year on year to nearly 2.02 million units in 2021, latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.

Last year the country's total exports for the year exceeded 2 million units for the first time, according to the association.

New energy vehicle exports reported a threefold increase year on year by reaching 310,000 units, the data showed

New energy vehicle exports reported a threefold increase year on year by reaching 310,000 units, the data showed.

Of the total, exports of passenger cars stood at 1.61 million units, up 1.1 times from the previous year, and exports of commercial vehicles surged 70.7 percent to 402,000 units.

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In December alone, the country's auto manufacturers exported 223,000 cars, up 11.4 percent from the previous month and up 54 percent year on year, the data showed.