BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. (BJEV) is offering battery swaps for private customers in an attempt to gain a competitive edge in the world's largest new energy vehicle (NEV) market.

BJEV launched a pure electric vehicle with a mileage range of 300 km Thursday, at a price of 79,800 yuan (12,000 U.S. dollars)Customers can change a depleted battery for a full one by paying monthly rent of 458 yuan for the battery and additional money for the electricity.

Zheng Gang, president of BJEV, said the service can allay customers' range anxiety and reduce their costs. Many customers do not have charging poles and there are not enough public charging poles.

The carmaker plans to build 3,000 battery swap stations in 50 cities by 2022. It already has 116 stations in four cities serving 6,000 taxis.

Compared with direct current fast-charging poles, the slow-charging from swap stations could prolong the battery's life, according to BJEV.

China has remained the world's largest NEV market for three years, with some 777,000 cars sold in 2017, over half of the global market.

China on Tuesday issued a three-year plan on cleaner air, calling for NEV sales of 2 million units in 2020.