China’s auto sales rose 9.5% last year as electric vehicle purchases nearly doubled, but demand in the global industry’s biggest market slumped in December, foreshadowing weaker growth this year, a trade group reported Thursday.
Sales of SUVs, sedans and minivans rose to 23.6 million, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, edged up 2.1% to 26.9 million.
