Nationwide 53,500 new energy vehicles (NEVs) were sold in August, jumping 122.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the China Passenger Car Association. So far this year, 249,600 such cars have been sold, up 93.2 percent year-on-year.

Among domestic manufacturers, BAIC EC series led in sales in the first eight months of this year, delivering 28,733 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the association said.

China is one of the first countries to develop new energy vehicles to cut emissions and build a competitive car industry.

Xin Guobin, vice-minister of industry and information technology, earlier told an automobile forum that China had started research on a timetable to phase out manufacturing and sales of fossil-fuel powered cars.

Let's take a look at the top 10 best-selling NEV models in China from Jan to Aug.

No 10 Changan BENNI EV (11,120)

A Changan BENNI EV is on display at an auto exhibition in Beijing, Oct 13, 2016. [Photo/VCG]