BEIJING - China's auto sales returned to growth last month following a holiday-distorted February, with a continued boom for new energy vehicles (NEVs), according to an industry association Wednesday.

Some 2.66 million vehicles were sold in March, up 4.7 percent from a year ago and more than 50 percent month on month, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Sales in February fell 11.1 percent year on year.

The NEV market remained vigorous as sales soared 117.4 percent year-on-year to around 68,000 vehicles in March. Production surged by 105 percent.