China's maglev train hits 623 km/h, breaking global speed record. Key details
Test done on 2m model in low-pressure tube in Shanghai
Design cuts air resistance for higher speeds
In a new test run, China's magnetic levitation (maglev) train clocked an impressive speed of 623 km/h, making it the fastest land vehicle of its kind. The high-speed test took place in Tongji University's dedicated low-vacuum tube testing line in Shanghai.
The breakthrough puts China even further ahead in the race for next-generation transport, while the US continues to struggle with getting its own projects off the ground.
The test was carried out using a scaled-down model that was just 2 metres long and weighed 165 kilograms. What makes this even more interesting is that the track was only 210 metres long and placed inside a tube with pressure 98 per cent lower than normal air. This design sharply reduces air resistance and allows maglev trains to go much faster.
This successful run is being seen as a step closer to future vacuum maglev systems that might someday reach speeds of up to 1,000 km/h, faster than commercial airplanes. The project is backed by China's top rail research body, CRRC, and forms part of the country's broader aim to dominate ultra-high-speed rail transport.
China's approach heavily centralised planning, state support, and non-stop R&D is allowing it to zoom past countries like the US that rely on fragmented systems and private funding.
Whether the Chinese maglev can eventually be commercialised and scaled up remains to be seen. But for now, the country is racing ahead, both literally and figuratively.
In a new test run, China's magnetic levitation (maglev) train clocked an impressive speed of 623 km/h, making it the fastest land vehicle of its kind. The high-speed test took place in Tongji University's dedicated low-vacuum tube testing line in Shanghai.
The breakthrough puts China even further ahead in the race for next-generation transport, while the US continues to struggle with getting its own projects off the ground.
The test was carried out using a scaled-down model that was just 2 metres long and weighed 165 kilograms. What makes this even more interesting is that the track was only 210 metres long and placed inside a tube with pressure 98 per cent lower than normal air. This design sharply reduces air resistance and allows maglev trains to go much faster.
This successful run is being seen as a step closer to future vacuum maglev systems that might someday reach speeds of up to 1,000 km/h, faster than commercial airplanes. The project is backed by China's top rail research body, CRRC, and forms part of the country's broader aim to dominate ultra-high-speed rail transport.
China's approach heavily centralised planning, state support, and non-stop R&D is allowing it to zoom past countries like the US that rely on fragmented systems and private funding.
Whether the Chinese maglev can eventually be commercialised and scaled up remains to be seen. But for now, the country is racing ahead, both literally and figuratively. Join our WhatsApp Channel
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