BYD Co., a major Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, plans to start selling one of its latest models in South Korea next year in a bid to tap into the local market with a high growth potential, company and industry sources said Thursday.

BYD, which is based in Shenzhen, China, will showcase the updated version of the e6 for the first time in South Korea during an expo in March on the southern resort island of Jeju before starting its official sales, according to the sources.

"During the expo, we will unveil the updated version of the e6, which has a 400 kilometer driving range on a single charge," a BYD official told the English division of Yonhap News Agency. "We plan to start selling the new energy vehicle as early as 2016 in Korea."

The driving range is far longer than local brands, such as Kia Motors Corp.'s Soul and the Ray, which can run 148 kilometers and 91 kilometers, respectively, on a full single battery charge.

The updated e6 model's driving range is longer than the previous version's 300 kilometers, which was showcased in the same electric vehicle expo held on the island.

The source said that the exact timing and the price for the new e6 depends on market situations.

The launch of the latest e6 in Korea is in line with the Chinese company's push to target the electric car market in South Korea that shows a high potential of growth down the road.

"BYD is trying its best to provide the best products and solutions for the Korean market, collaborating with the government and relevant respects to promote new energy vehicle applications and development in Korea," the company said in an email sent to Yonhap.

"BYD will provide the most suitable products and solutions to meet the Korean market demand," it said. "BYD will announce more details in the coming years." (Yonhap)