China's first commercial maglev 3.0 train completed a series of tests on March 10, 2022. Photo: cnsphoto

China's first commercial maglev 3.0 train, with full intellectual property rights, completed a series of tests on Thursday. The train has achieved multiple tech advancements, including unmanned driving and non-contact power supply.

The train was developed by Chinese high-speed train manufacturer CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co. Relevant tests and system tuning tests have been completed at the high-speed maglev laboratory of Tongji University, CRRC Zhuzhou said on Thursday.

The commercial maglev train with a design speed of 200 kilometers per hour is a new commercial maglev product independently developed by Chinese researchers, Chinanews.com reported, citing Zhou Qinghe, chairman of CRRC Zhuzhou.

"The train fills the gap in the global maglev transportation system of this speed level, indicating that China has mastered the key core technology of medium-speed maglev. China's maglev technology innovation and industrial development continue to be in the forefront of the world," said Zhou.

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 CRRC Zhuzhou.  

China's first commercial maglev 3.0 train completed a series of tests on March 10, 2022. Photo: cnsphoto

The train, designed to run at 200 kilometers per hour, is controlled by a ground operation control system, which can realize unmanned driving, the Xinhua News Agency reported, citing Zhang Wenyue, deputy head of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive's maglev research institute.

Through 5G high-band millimeter-wave vehicle-ground wireless communication, online status monitoring, big data analysis and other technologies, the control system can make real-time intelligent diagnosis of vehicle, track, power supply and other faults, ensuring the safety and reliability of unmanned driving, said Zhang.

Zhang said that the new train is expected to be applied across intra-city and urban lines running at 50 kilometers to 200 kilometers per hour.

The most well-known maglev line in operation in China is the Shanghai Maglev Line linking the city and Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The line is 30 kilometers long. With a top speed of 430 kilometers per hour, the train can complete its journey in 7 minutes and 20 seconds.

At present, China is accelerating the construction of intra-city railways. The commercial maglev 3.0 train has a very broad market prospect, and it is one of the best options for "green and intelligent" intercity and municipal transportation, said analysts. 

In July 2021, China's self-developed high-speed maglev train rolled off the production line. With a designed top speed of 600 kilometers per hour, the maglev is the world's fastest ground vehicle now.

Photo taken on Tuesday shows China's new maglev transportation system in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.?It is currently the world's fastest ground vehicle. Photo: cnsphoto

Global Times