The "maglev" train presented on January 13, 2021 in Chengdu (China).

-

TPG / SIPA

A prototype magnetic levitation train, or Maglev, capable of reaching 620 km / h was presented last Wednesday in China.

It was designed by scientists from Chengdu University and would eventually be able to reach 800 km / h, reports the

South China Morning Post

, relayed by Korri.

Above all, it would be cheaper to produce than the future Maglev which will run between the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Nagoya and which will run at 500 km / h.

To achieve the state of superconductivity that allows trains to levitate and reach impressive speeds, Chinese engineers came up with the idea of ​​replacing the liquid helium used by the Japanese with liquid nitrogen.

A prototype train using high-temperature superconducting maglev (HTS) technology was unveiled in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Wednesday.

According to Southwest Jiaotong University, the Chinese-developed maglev train is designed to travel at 620 km / h.

pic.twitter.com/mTfo6sFsYV

- Chinese Embassy in France (@AmbassadeChine) January 13, 2021

Carbon for more lightness

“The cost is fifty times less,” one of the researchers told the local press.

This future train could also levitate even when stationary, unlike its Japanese competitor.

It should be made of carbon fiber, a material that is lighter than those currently used to design high speed trains.

A trick that would reduce the cost of rail infrastructure, and in particular bridges that must support the weight of the trains.

What to compensate for a higher cost per kilometer than for a conventional high-speed train of about 6 to 12 million euros.

Almost as fast as an airliner

For now, the Maglev presented last week is only a prototype and is not yet capable of approaching the speed of an airliner.

Its designers hope to be able to market it in 2027, the same year as that of their Japanese rivals.

China already has the fastest magnetic levitation train in the world today.

The Shanghai Transrapid, which entered service in 2004, connects Pudong Airport with central Shanghai at a speed of 431 km / h.

In May 2019, China had already presented a prototype of Maglev that can reach 600 km / h.

Economy

China presents prototype train capable of reaching 600 km / h

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The "Maglev", the Japanese train that travels at 603 km / h

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