BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- China's auto industry posted a strong performance in February, with both production and sales recording double-digit growth, driven by strong market vitality and accelerated production activity, industry data showed Tuesday.

Total auto output reached more than 2.1 million units last month, up 39.6 percent year on year, while sales climbed 34.4 percent year on year to nearly 2.13 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The association attributed the industry's strong momentum to the implementation of an expanded trade-in scheme for automobiles, along with rising demand driven by technological advancements and product upgrades.

Tuesday's data also highlighted the continued strong performance of new energy vehicles, with sales surging 87.1 percent year on year to 892,000 units in February, accounting for 41.9 percent of total new vehicle sales last month.