17/08/2026
A 2,447-pound magnetic levitation vehicle accelerated from rest to 497 mph in just 5.3 seconds on a 1-kilometre test track at Donghu Laboratory in China’s Hubei province.
The run marked the platform’s third short-distance maglev acceleration world record in six months, testing electromagnetic propulsion, levitation, positioning, and braking technologies.
Magnetic forces lifted the vehicle above the guideway, eliminating wheel-rail friction, while electromagnetic coils created a travelling magnetic wave to propel it forward.
After reaching 497 mph (800 km/h), the vehicle reportedly stopped smoothly within slightly more than 656 feet, while track deviations were limited to just 0.5 millimetres.
The technology could support future ultra-high-speed transport and may eventually be adapted for electromagnetic launches of rockets and fighter jets.