Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor is taking on bigger rival BYD, launching its first extended-range hybrid vehicle, the C11, on Thursday. It is the latest sign that plug-in hybrids are gaining traction in the world’s biggest auto market. The compact SUV, priced from RMB 159,800 ($23,495), has a range of 285 kilometers (177 miles) on a full charge, more than the 110 kms of BYD’s Song Plus DM-i. The C11 can travel about 1,024 kms on a full fuel tank and a full charge. Extended-range EVs are a new type of plug-in hybrid vehicle and can use a gas-powered engine to recharge the battery when the electricity runs out. Sales of plug-in hybrid passenger cars in China rose 44.7% year-on-year to 117,000 units in January, official figures showed. [Leapmotor statement, in Chinese; TechNode reporting]