Beijing, July 29 (IANS): China has built the world's fastest charging electric buses, with a battery that takes barely 10 seconds to be fully charged.

The electric buses, with a battery that takes just 10 seconds to be fully charged, were put into operation for the first time in Zhejiang province's Ningbo city on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

The bus operates on an 11-km route with 24 stops, transport authorities said.

In the next three years, a total of 1,200 such buses will be used for public transport in the city, where the electric bus plant is located.

The bus recharges while stationary or while passengers get on or off, and each charge enables the bus to run for least five kilometers, according to Zhou Qinghe, president of Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, a subsidiary of high-speed train maker CRRC.

In addition, the bus, which rolled off production line in April, consumes 30 to 50 percent less energy than other electric vehicles. The capacitor can be charged one million times and has a 10-year life cycle.