SINGAPORE: China has unveiled a prototype of its next-generation commercial bullet train with test speeds of 450kmh, overtaking current Chinese high-speed trains, which are already among the fastest in the world.
In a statement shared on its official WeChat account on Sunday (Dec 29), the China State Railway Group introduced the CR450 high-speed train, with a maximum commercial operating speed of 400kmh.
“The official debut of the world’s fastest high-speed train marks a major breakthrough in the CR450 project which began in 2018,” and will “further consolidate and expand” China’s global high-speed railway ambitions, China Railway said.
China already has some of the fastest commercial high-speed trains in the world.
The Shanghai maglev, which connects Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport to downtown Shanghai, operates at a top speed of 430kmh, making it the world’s fastest commercial train service.
Other high-speed Chinese rails that connect major cities such as CR Fuxing bullet trains and CR Harmony trains reach a top operating speed of 350kmh.
In contrast, Japan’s famed Shinkansen bullet trains travel at up to 320kmh while European high-speed rails like ICE 3 trains in Germany have maximum speeds of 350kmh, similar to their Chinese counterparts.
Chinese state media outlets have praised China Railway’s latest prototype as “ushering in a new era” of high-speed rail.
“This achievement makes it the fastest high-speed train in the world once it enters commercial service, surpassing China’s current CR400 which operates at 350kmh,” said the state-run China Daily website.
The project involved more than 200 days of high-speed testing and 17 component trials with a cumulative test distance that exceeded 200,000km, the China Daily report said.
It also added that the prototype had undergone more than 3,000 simulations and 2,000 platform tests to meet the rigorous demands of its operating speed.
With the CR450 in operation, travel will be made “more convenient and efficient” for passengers, China Railway said.
Upgrades have also been made on driving and control as well as safety monitoring and passenger services, the group added.
The new models will also have shorter braking distances and better operation stability, as well as bigger cabin spaces such as larger storage areas to accommodate items such as bicycles and wheelchairs.
The CR450 project is a “comprehensive display of China’s technological innovation and high-end equipment manufacturing strength” and is also expected to be more fuel efficient and lighter weight, China Railway said.
China’s high-speed rail ambitions continue, with plans to build networks through neighbouring Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam gaining momentum.
In 2021, the semi-high-speed Laos-China Railway network was launched, connecting Kunming city in the southern Yunnan province to the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
Beijing has long pursued plans to build a pan-Asia railway network that would connect Kunming to Singapore, running through Laos, Thailand and Malaysia, with offshoots in Vietnam and Cambodia.
The country envisions expanding its railway network to 200,000km by 2035 – 70,000km of which will be high-speed.