Faster than an airplane! Chinese floating train Hyperloop has set a new record
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) said it has made a "significant breakthrough" in its latest test of the superfast shuttle.
The leading space contractor first unveiled plans for the futuristic high-speed train in 2017. The "ultra-high-speed maglev pipeline system" - commonly known as the hyperloop - aims to travel at speeds of up to 1,000 km/h (621 mph) in the 93-mile vacuum tunnel between Shanghai and Hangzhou, The Sun reports.
If successful, this will make trains faster than commercial flights, which typically travel at an average speed of 550 miles per hour.
Using vacuum tubes to transport passengers and cargo, the maglev system was first proposed by entrepreneur Elon Musk in 2013.
According to CASIC, during the latest tests, China's Hyperloop broke previous records by traveling the entire length of a 2-kilometer test track with stable levitation.
Although the exact speed remains classified, it reportedly surpassed the previous record set by a magnetic lift vehicle (357 mph), which the French V150 train achieved in 2007.
During performance tests in November, the floating train accelerated to an impressive 281 mph.
