Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region launched the operation of the region's first solar-powered battery-swapping station for electric buses, in Ningdong Energy Chemical Base, on April 17. It ensures the non-stop running of electric buses across different places.

Costing 30 million yuan (US$4.8 million), the station is able to accommodate 96 sets of batteries, for 8 electric buses. Two automatic robots have been installed in the station, which enable battery swapping for an electric bus within 10 minutes. 　

The Ningxia Power Company is scheduled to invest 200 million yuan to build another 7 such stations, which could handle the battery swapping for 300 electric buses at a time.