SMRTR Science & EngineeringAug 11, 2026Interesting Engineering

0 to 497 mph in 5.3 secs: China’s maglev model makes record with frictionless travel

SMRTR summary

China's Donghu Laboratory set a world record when a 2,447-pound maglev vehicle accelerated from zero to 497 mph in just 5.3 seconds on a one-kilometer track. Remarkably, this was the third record broken at the same facility within six months. Beyond transport, the technology could power electromagnetic launch systems for rockets and fighter jets, making it a major military and industrial breakthrough.

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