The first charging station for electric vehicles was put into use in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, Monday to promote the idea of Green Games ahead of the opening ceremony of the Asian Games Friday.

Electric vehicle rechargers are seen at the 25th world electric vehicle exhibition in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 5, 2010.?[Xinhua]

The station is between Nanshagang Highway and Beijing-Zhuahai Highway in the Asian Games City.

It is equipped with one direct-current charger and two alternating-current chargers.

It can provide 24-hour-charging for cars, buses and other large vehicles, said Chen Rongzhen, a China Southern Power Grid official.

Another six alternating-current chargers have been installed in the media center in Guangzhou, Chen said.

An electric car takes 18 minutes to charge while a medium-sized vehicle takes at least 30 minutes and a large vehicle takes at least 45 minutes, Chen said.

The 15-day Asian Games will end on Nov. 27.

Electric vehicles are more economic than ordinary vehicles as one kilowatt of electricity costs less than one yuan (about 0.15 U.S. dollars), he said.

According to the Guangzhou municipal government's plan, 2,600 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, will be put into use by 2012, said Gong Jinguo, an official the Guangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission.