Beijing – CRRC Changchun has officially unveiled its 600km/h superconducting electrodynamic suspension (EDS) maglev prototype, presented during the UIC World Congress on High-Speed Rail 2025. The lead car of the cutting-edge vehicle was displayed at the National Railway Test Centre in Beijing, drawing significant attention from industry stakeholders worldwide.
The prototype represents the culmination of more than 25 years of research into maglev technology, with focused development on superconducting EDS over the past decade. First revealed in July 2024, the new train joins CRRC’s growing maglev portfolio, complementing its existing normal-conducting maglev vehicles.
Designed for performance and stability, the EDS prototype incorporates a streamlined 14.35-meter aerodynamic nose to reduce drag, while its carbody is built from high-strength aluminum and carbon fibre for an optimal balance of strength, stiffness, and lightweight structure. This design approach enhances efficiency and ensures modal stability at extreme speeds.
Superconducting EDS enables levitation through electromagnetic forces generated between superconducting magnets onboard and suspension coils embedded in the track. The CRRC vehicle achieves a levitation gap of 100mm and a guidance gap of 70mm, ensuring reliable operation at speeds of up to 600km/h. In the event of a power failure, the superconducting magnets can maintain operation for more than an hour, underscoring safety and resilience.
Among its technological highlights, the train features a specially engineered levitation bogie that combines rubber wheel contact for low-speed operation with levitation guidance for high speeds. The prototype also introduces high-temperature superconducting magnets, an efficient cryogenic cooling system, and an advanced braking system integrating electric and hydraulic mechanisms to achieve deceleration performance averaging -1m/s².
In terms of specifications, the lead car measures 29.35 meters in length and weighs less than 37 tonnes, while intermediate cars measure 23.4 meters and weigh under 25 tonnes. The maglev system offers an average acceleration of 0.7m/s², with seating capacity for 32 passengers in the lead car and 52 in each intermediate car.
Construction of a 200-meter test track at CRRC’s Changchun plant is underway and expected to be completed by the end of this year. This facility will allow verification of the prototype’s propulsion systems and bogie designs, although a longer track will be required to conduct full levitation and high-speed tests.
Industry experts suggest that maglev technology is unlikely to replace conventional high-speed rail in the near term. Instead, it may serve as supplementary infrastructure on heavily trafficked corridors such as Beijing–Shanghai and Beijing–Tianjin, or in specialized applications like airport connectors. Tourist-oriented maglev services, already in operation at lower speeds in China, also present new opportunities for expansion.
The unveiling of this prototype underscores China’s ambition to remain at the forefront of high-speed rail technology, with superconducting maglev positioned as a strategic addition to its evolving transportation landscape.
