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The CR450 has been under development for some years and is expected to be the quickest commercial vehicle of its kind.
China’s rail operator has unveiled a prototype of the country’s next-generation commercial bullet train, which its creator claims is on track to be the world’s fastest and will give Chinese high-speed technology a significant global advantage.
The China State Railway Group announced on Sunday that the CR450 could attain speeds of up to 450km/h (280mph), with a commercial operational speed of 400km/h.
In a social media post, the group stated that the introduction of the prototype marked a “breakthrough” in the CR450 project, which would significantly increase the degree of innovation in China’s railway technology and strengthen the country’s technological self-reliance.
“[The project] will also further consolidate and expand China’s leading advantage in high-speed rail technology globally,” according to the organization.
A view of CR450 from the driver’s cabin. Photo: Xinhua
The CR450 Technology Innovation Project, initiated in 2021, aims to build “safer, more environmentally friendly, more energy-efficient, and smarter” trains.
According to official media, the new trains will displace the CR400 in the “Fuxing” high-speed train series, which now travels at 350km/h on China’s network and is the world’s fastest of its kind.
The new train is anticipated to reduce travel time between Beijing and Shanghai from 4½ hours to 3.3 hours.
China Railway stated that work to increase that speed to 400km/h begun in 2018, with production of the prototype beginning in 2024.
In April, Zhao Hongwei, chief researcher at the China Academy of Railway Sciences, told state broadcaster CCTV that making that leap needed assuring the train’s braking system “can stop safely, steadily, and accurately”.
The prototype includes a business class section. Photo: Xinhua
The prototype, which was unveiled on Sunday and seen during a test run from Tianjin to Beijing earlier this week, “leads internationally in key indicators” such as operating speed, energy consumption, interior noise, and braking distance, according to China Railway.
The CR450 train resembles an arrow from the side and weighs approximately 10 tonnes, making it more than 10% lighter than its predecessor, according to state media.
Operating resistance and energy consumption indicators have both been decreased by roughly 20%, while braking performance has increased by about 20%.
On Sunday, China Railway said that the prototype would undergo a series of line testing and inspections to further analyze its performance.
The group did not indicate when the train will be in service, saying only that it would “continuously optimise technical specifications” and “strive to put it into commercial operation as soon as possible”.
However, previous reports indicated that the train may be operational as early as next year.
According to state news agency Xinhua, China has the world’s largest high-speed rail network, with 47,000km (29,200 miles) of track in service and another 2,000km installed in the last year alone.
The first line connecting Beijing and Tianjin debuted in 2008, just in time for the Beijing Olympics.
China began creating the Fuxing series in 2012, and the high-speed trains, which were entirely developed and manufactured in China, went into service roughly five years later.
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