Pickup Truck Sales Up 35 Percent in May

China's pickup truck market registered robust growth in May, with sales rising 35 percent year on year, industry data showed.

A total of 45,000 units were sold last month, marking strong market performance with pent-up demand unleashed as the COVID-19 epidemic wanes, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Pickup trucks, which combine the features of passenger and commercial vehicles, have become increasingly popular in the country with 440,000 units sold last year, the CPCA said.

So far this year, Great Wall Motors has been leading the pickup truck market, with its sales accounting for 44 percent of the market's total, expanding from 34 percent in 2019.

China's commerce ministry issued a guideline in April, calling on local authorities to relax restrictions on the entry of pickup trucks into cities amid efforts to further boost automobile consumption.