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China Reports 700 Km/h, Two-Second Sprint in Superconducting Maglev Test

Officials cast the run as progress toward vacuum‑tube maglev.

Overview

  • State broadcaster footage shows a bare‑chassis test vehicle racing along a 400‑meter track and leaving a visible mist trail.
  • A tonne‑class unit weighing about 1.1 tons reached 700 km/h in roughly two seconds and then executed a controlled stop.
  • Project researchers say the trial overcame key hurdles including ultra‑high‑speed electromagnetic propulsion, electric suspension guidance, high‑power energy inversion and high‑field superconducting magnets.
  • Chinese state media describe the result as a new global benchmark for superconducting electric maglev, though independent third‑party verification was not cited.
  • The run caps a decade of development after a 648 km/h test earlier this year, with researchers pointing to potential uses in vacuum‑tube transport and ground‑based aerospace launch or testing, alongside longer experimental lines such as a 2 km site in Datong.