Particle.news
Download on the App Store

China’s CR450 Reaches 453 Km/h in Pre‑Service Trials

The prototype now enters a 600,000‑kilometer certification program before any passenger service.

Overview

  • State broadcaster CCTV reported the trial peak on the ShanghaiChongqingChengdu route, with Science and Technology Daily describing the train as the world’s fastest EMU.
  • Developers plan near‑commercial trials on the ChengduChongqing central line next year, and entry to service could follow in 2026 if testing and regulatory steps are completed.
  • Despite the higher test speed, the train is engineered for a maximum commercial operating speed of 400 km/h.
  • Design changes include a 15‑meter nose, a roofline lowered by 20 centimeters, enclosed bogies, and roughly 50 tons of weight reduction, contributing to about a 22% cut in aerodynamic resistance.
  • Permanent‑magnet synchronous motors raise efficiency by just over 3%, helping the CR450 accelerate from 0 to 350 km/h in about 4 minutes 40 seconds with lower interior noise reported at cruise.