Chinese auto maker BYD Co yesterday launched the first commercial dual-mode electric auto vehicle in the world, giving it an edge in the green car race over other rivals like Toyota Motors and General Motors Corp.

The new auto, known as the F3DM equipped with both pure and hybrid electric driving systems, is priced at 149,800 yuan.

Toyota and GM, the two other global competitors in the electric car market, had planned to launch similar models in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

The launch of F3DM comes at a time when China is encouraging domestic companies to develop environment-friendly cars to both curb oil imports and cut carbon emissions.

Its aggressiveness in developing green cars caught global attention after MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co, a unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, bought a 9.9 percent stake in BYD for HK$1.8 billion in late September amid the financial crisis in the United States.

The new car's total range could reach 500 km per charge of gasoline and electricity, which could facilitate the users to travel short distance powered by electricity and long distance powered by gasoline, he added.

Besides special charging stations, which could charge the car to 50 percent in 10 minutes, F3DM could also be charged with electricity outlets. It takes about nine hours to charge the car to full level.