China sets world record in maglev technology by reaching 700 km/h in 2 seconds

China has set a world record in maglev technology by accelerating a ton-level test vehicle to 700 kilometers per hour (km/h) in just two seconds, China Media Group reported.

A research team from the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) achieved the record speed on a 400-meter magnetic levitation test track. The superconducting electric maglev test vehicle also completed a safe stop. The test marks the fastest speed ever recorded on a platform of its kind worldwide.

The breakthrough is the result of a decade of sustained research, during which the team overcame a series of key technological challenges, including ultra-high-speed electromagnetic propulsion, electric suspension guidance, transient high-power energy storage and inversion, and high-field superconducting magnets.

Magnetic levitation is a transportation technology that uses electromagnets to lift, guide and propel trains without wheels, allowing the cars to levitate slightly above the tracks. Magnetic propulsion systems, achieved through magnets in the guideway walls interacting with magnets on the train, move the train forward in an almost friction-less environment.

The milestone signals that China has entered the international leading tier in ultra-high-speed maglev technology. It also opens up new possibilities for the development of vacuum-tube maglev transportation, while offering innovative technical approaches for aerospace boost launches and experimental testing. 

Further technological iteration and industrial application are expected to catalyze new developments in China's aerospace and rail transit sectors.

Li Jie, a professor at the NUDT, said the successful test will significantly accelerate China's research and development of ultra-high-speed maglev transportation systems.

"Going forward, we will focus on frontier fields such as high-speed maglev transport in pipelines, aerospace equipment testing and electromagnetic launch technologies," said Li. "By promoting deeper integration between industry, academia, research and application, we aim to support independent innovation in national defense science and technology."