China: The full-scale 1.1 t unit has reached the speed in seven seconds on a new one km long test line in the Hubei Province. Future plans aim for the vehicle to hit 800 km/h.
Li Weichao, director of the High-speed Maglev Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology Innovation Center has told CMG that the vehicle run a distance of 600 m and its acceleration rate surpassed 9.8 m/s2. According to him, it is the highest acceleration rate among developed maglev trains. However, it is worth noting that the result is achieved thanks to the vehicle’s low weight. The record 603 km/h for a full-scale train was set on a 42.8 km long section in Japan in 2015.
Testing the maglev vehicle at 650 km/h. Source: CGTN
The main innovation lies in the test track which allows the vehicle to reach the full speed in under 1 km, compared to the previous 20 km. It is said that the vehicle deaccelerates to zero in about 200 m. The vehicle features an electromagnetic propulsion system as CRRC’s trains.