New energy vehicles (NEVs) registered in China soared 138.2 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022, according to figures released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Some 1.11 million NEVs were registered in Q1, an increase of 644,000 units from a year ago, the association said, citing data from the Ministry of Public Security.

By the end of March, China's registered NEVs totalled 8.915 million units, accounting for 2.9 percent of registered cars in the country.

Over 400 million motor vehicles had been registered in the country by the end of March, 307 million of which being automobiles.

China has been encouraging the use of NEVs in recent years to cut carbon dioxide emissions. About 20 percent of new automobile sales are predicted to be NEVs by 2025, according to the country's modern energy system 2021-2025 plan released earlier this year.