On August 2, the speeding-up test for China's first Commercial Maglev Train 2.0 was launched at the depot of Changsha Maglev Express, which marks the final "test verification" of the medium-speed maglev technology developed in four stages: "conceptual design, component test, assembly integration, and test verification".
As the first independent commercial maglev project in China, Changsha Maglev Express with a speed of 100 km/h was put into operation in May 2016, which has been operating safely for more than 3 years and is known as China Commercial Maglev Train 1.0 by the industry. In June 2018, a new generation of "faster train carrying more passengers" Commercial Maglev Train 2.0 with a speed of 160 km/h has been successfully developed by the research team, led by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. and Hunan Maglev Technology Research Center according to the commercial operation standards.
Compared with Version 1.0, the Maglev Train 2.0 optimizes the design of end electromagnet, increasing the suspension capacity of the whole train by 6 tons. The traction auxiliary system equipment design was optimized, and the traction power was increased by 30%, and the maximum capacity of the three marshaling sections was increased to 500 people. This test marks that CRRC has taken a new step in the independent innovation of maglev transportation, which will have a far-reaching impact on the development of maglev technology all over the country and the world.