Germany gets Tesla, and it’s no longer electric or hydrogen: New fuel and super-powered engine China’s high-speed maglev vehicle has successfully completed its 2km demonstration test in August of 2024. While the speed achieved during the test has not been revealed, the “high-speed flying train” is designed to reach a maximum speed of 1000km per hour. Could this be the end of Tesla Hyperloop? Maglev technology is paving the way for China to connect its major cities with ultra-high speeds The collaborative demonstrative effort between the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and Shanxi province of China is the first step in designing a maglev train system which will connect Beijing and Shanghai cities with a travel time of just 90 minutes. Magnetic Levitation, commonly known as “maglev”, trains operate through electromagnets as opposed to traditional rolling wheels. This eliminates rolling resistance and uses magnetic fields instead to make the train move. Current operating Maglev trains can reach speeds over 500 kilometers per hour. The test facility has been in the works since 2022. The demonstration took place in a low-vacuum tube and achieved predicted outcomes. With the success of the demonstration, the full-sized test line has achieved conditions for acceptance. Second-phase developments to improve China’s high-speed train performance The successful demonstration concluded phase one of China’s development of an ultra high-speed maglev train. As the project moves into its second phase, the objective is to demonstrate the train running at full speed along a test track of at least 60km in length. The success of the first phase has provided a technologically sound foundation of the futuristic project. The objective of the high-speed train project is to eventually deploy it across megacity clusters to reduce travel time and provide more efficient public transportation. China’s “high-speed flying train” outperforms Elon Musk’s original Tesla Hyperloop project Low-pressure vacuum transportation technology was first proposed by Elon Musk back in 2013. His project Hyperloop One was however shut down in 2023. China’s development of an ultra high-speed maglev train combines both aerospace technology and ground rail transportation technology. China’s combination of technologically advanced rail systems and large population provide the groundwork for the first of its kind Maglev trains China, Japan, and Korea currently stand as the only three countries which operate maglev train technology. Not only are they cost efficient and fast, but they also produce little to no air pollution and sound pollution. The highly innovative technology is paving the way towards eco-coconscious public transportation. While current maglev trains can reach speeds over 500 kilometers an hour, the ambitious advancement to develop a maglev reaching speeds up to 1000 kilometers an hour is a sure shoe-in for China. Their longstanding lead in rail system technology and large population is a practical foundation to make the project profitable. China’s current maglev train systems operate between Shanghai and Pudong International airport which stretches for 30km and has a speed of up to 430 kilometers per hour. Additionally, China has two low-speed maglev trains which travel at 100 kilometers an hour. Globally, maglev technology is still an upward battle to be reckoned with. Not only does it require completely new infrastructure, but it operates on the use of rare-earth materials which are expensive and difficult to extract. The widespread use of maglevs are still, for now, a distant concept. China’s increasingly technological advancement in public transportation through environmentally conscious maglev technology highlights an increasing step towards green transportation. While the widespread implementation of maglev is not on the horizon, it does show a global shift towards green energy solutions. China’s incredibly modern public transportation systems provide a model to adapt global transportation systems towards. Not only should public transport be invested in for the benefits of the environment, but futuristic and innovative technology imagines a world where private vehicles are no longer the norm. © 2024 by ECOticias