Chinese manufacturer unveils new generation of commercial maglev train

Photo provided by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. shows the company's next generation of commercial maglev train in dynamic testing on June 21, 2021. (CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua)

CHANGSHA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese manufacturer CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. said Thursday that tests have been completed for its next generation of commercial maglev train.

The train, with a designed speed of 200 km per hour, has achieved multiple tech breakthroughs such as unmanned driving and non-contact power supply, said Zhang Wenyue, deputy head of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive's maglev research institute.

It is expected to be applied to intercity and urban lines of 50 km to 200 km, he added.

Equipped with autonomous driving and 5G millimeter-wave communication, the train is operated by a ground control system. Real-time data are gathered for troubleshooting to ensure its safety.

Compared with the previous generations of commercial maglev trains, the new model shows significantly improved traction efficiency, hill-climbing ability, and acceleration performance, according to the company.