BEIJING - The number of new energy cars sold in China this year may hit 35,000, twice as many as were sold in 2013, as the government promotes use of greener vehicles, according to a new official forecast.

Sales may reach 60,000 if hybrid-power vehicles are taken into account, according to a report on China's auto industry released on Tuesday by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The Chinese government launched a trial program to subsidize new energy car purchases in several major cities in mid 2010.

The Ministry of Finance and another three government organs initiated a plan to promote new energy vehicle use last year and renewed the policy in February by raising the subsidies for 2014 and 2015.

Data from the CAAM showed that 17,642 new energy cars were sold in China last year, up 37.9 percent from a year ago. In the first quarter of 2014, sales surged 120 percent year on year to 6,853 cars.