Last year, China unveiled an in-development 600kph maglev train in Qingdao. It's also the world's fastest electric passenger train, with a cruising speed of 431kph (268mph). The world's first maglev train – still in operation – was the Shanghai Transrapid. Along with fuel efficiency benefits, maglev cars could decrease traffic jams through the coordination of separate lanes.Ĭhina has been a pioneer in maglev for some time. Local transport authorities held them to study the safety of high-speed maglev driving on existing roads and to investigate the expansion of the technology. The trials likely don't mean we'll see widespread maglev cars in China soon, however. Maglev technology uses magnets and electromagnetic forces to levitate vehicles – usually trains – above tracks.
In all, they modified and tested eight standard cars for the special tracks. The tests occurred on a 7.9 km (5-mile) stretch of road in Jiangsu province, where researchers from Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu installed a permanent magnet array and conductor rail to enable maglev transportation. Researchers think applying maglev locomotion to cars could increase their range and longevity while consuming less energy.
A separate test hit a maximum speed of 230kph (about 143mph). Chinese media recently reported that a 2.8-ton car levitated 35mm above a modified section of highway in eastern China.
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