--- title: "Chinese Researchers Test Cars That Hover Over Road Using Magnets" description: "China has tested modified cars that are capable of magnetically levitating (maglev) almost an inch and a half off of the ground on a stretch of highway." date: "2022-09-13" modified: "2022-09-13" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/chinese-researchers-car-hovers-magnets" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "cars" - "china" - "magnetic levitation" - "the digest" --- # Chinese Researchers Test Cars That Hover Over Road Using Magnets ![China has tested modified cars that are capable of magnetically levitating (maglev) almost an inch and a half off of the ground on a stretch of highway.]() *\Image: Xinhua\* ## Maglev Cars Chinese researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University have tested modified cars capable of magnetically levitating almost an inch and a half off of the ground over a stretch of specially modified highway, state-run media outlet [*Xinhua* reports](). A [video of the test]() shows a modified passenger vehicle gliding along the surface, while its four tires spin helplessly in the air, rendered useless by what appear to be magnetic repulsors attached to the bottom of the vehicle. Is this really the "Back to the Future"-esque future of the car? The researchers behind the test are hoping maglev cars could reduce energy consumption. But judging by the clunky equipment and rocky ride seen in the video, immense engineering challenges — and likely safety ones, as well — remain before the tech could possibly become practical. https://twitter.com/QinduoXu/status/1569290023026966528 ## Glide in Style Details surrounding the test are still sparse. According to *Xinhua*, eight modified vehicles were tested on a roughly five mile stretch of highway. Both the roadway, located in the eastern province of Jiangsu, and the vehicles themselves had to be heavily modified to pull off the stunt. Engineers added an array of permanent magnets to the floor of the vehicles, while running a conductor rail along the length of the highway. The speed was also striking, with cars reached a reported velocity of 143 mph. While that's pretty fast, it's still a far cry from the country's maglev bullet trains, the fastest of which can reach [speeds of up to 373 mph](). China also announced the construction of the "country's first independently-developed trial line" using maglev technologies, [*Xinhua* reported last month](). **READ MORE:** [Maglev car technology tested on highway in East China]() \[*Xinhua*\] **More on maglev:** *[Startup Says Train Powered by "Veillance Flux" Could Travel 620 MPH]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()