Bad news for Elon Musk as China solves 'critical flaw' in his Hyperloop system, Chinese scientists say reduced...

India.com

05-06-2025

China claims to have fixed a 'critical flaw' in Elon Musk's Hyperloop system. (File)
China Maglev Train: Chinese scientists working on the country's futuristic high-speed maglev train project have claimed to have solve a 'critical flaw', in the Hyperloop concept proposed in a 2013 white paper by tech billionaire Elon Musk. A study published in China's peer-reviewed Journal of Railway Science and Engineering noted that the tiniest of imperfections, such as uneven coils or bridge deformations, could cause major turbulence in a Hyperloop system, turning the journey into a hellish ride, even in near-vacuum tunnels. Chinese engineers find method to reduce turbulence
However, Chinese engineers working at the world's first full-scale test line in central China, claimed to have found a method to cut the turbulence intensity by nearly a half, reducing 'extremely severe bumps' to 'pronounced, but not unpleasant' levels, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
As per the SCMP report, the engineers led by Zhao Ming from the maglev and electromagnetic propulsion division of state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), revealed they employed supercomputer simulations and scaled-down prototype tests for the study.
The researchers discovered that minor irregularities in the track and electromagnetic resonance, could trigger violent low-frequency vibrations in maglev cars travelling at cruising speeds of 1,000km/h (612mph). Their study used Sperling Index, a 1940s-era international metric for ride comfort, to show that oscillations amplified at specific speeds, reaching 'extremely unpleasant' levels of vibration at a peak speeds 400km/h (249mph).
As per the study, the Sterling Index hit a 4.2 when the maglev cars reached the next peak of 600km/h (373mph), but the vibrations reduced to a 3.1 level on the index once the cars reached cruising speeds of 1,000km/h, the report said. China's Maglev train breaks speed record
The Maglev system, first proposed in 1910 by American engineer Robert Goddard, gained traction in 2013 after Elon Musk wrote a white paper on the subject. The Maglev train, so named as it uses magnetic levitation (maglev) technology to reach unimaginable speeds, does not need wheels unlike traditional trains. Instead the wheels are replaced with magnets which lift the pods above the track, allowing them to glide effortlessly over the magnetized track.
Late last year, China claimed that its Maglev train reached a record-breaking speeding 387mph (over 622 kmph), tumbling the record of Japan's MLX01 Maglev, currently the world's fastest train, which has a top speed of 361mph.
Chinese engineers believe that their maglev system will be able to reach hypersonic speeds of over 1,243mph or over 2000 kmph — faster than the speed of sound and double the speed of a Boeing 737 aircraft, once commercial operations begin.
If estimates are accurate the maglev system would significantly reduce travel times across China, reaching Wuhan to Beijing in just over 30 minutes, in contrast to the current high-speed train which takes four hours to complete the journey.