BEIJING, Dec 8 (Reuters) – China’s annual car sales dropped 8.5% in November in a second straight monthly decline, for their biggest fall in 10 months, data showed on Monday, amid a waning scramble to buy vehicles before government subsidies dwindle at year-end.

Car sales in the world’s biggest auto market stood at 2.24 million last month, following October’s slide of 0.8%, according to the data from the China Passenger Car Association.

The deeper slide was “abnormal,” as sales have generally been quite strong in the years’ final two months, said Cui Dongshu, the industry body’s secretary-general, but evoked conditions 17 years ago.

“A similar abnormality occurred in 2008 when consumption was under pressure,” he added.

Sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids made up a record 58.

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