China unveils trackless train

Chinese railcar-maker CRRC has unveiled a trackless train which uses rubber wheels on a plastic core and runs on a virtual track in a bid to speed up public transportation.
June 5, 2017 Read time: 1 min

Chinese railcar-maker CRRC has unveiled a trackless train which uses rubber wheels on a plastic core and runs on a virtual track in a bid to speed up public transportation.

The Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) bus-rail combo rapid transit system was demonstrated in Zhuzhou, Hunan province and is said to be non-polluting, according to People’s Daily Online.

CRRC began designing the system in 2013. The first car is 31 metres long, with a maximum passenger load of 307 people or 48 tons. Its top speed is 70 kilometres per hour and it can travel 25 kilometres after 10 minutes of charging.

According to CRRC, ART is likely to be around one-fifth of the cost of an ordinary subway, which cost about 400-700 million yuan (£45.6 - £79 million) per kilometre in China.

The world’s first train will be launched on a 6.5 kilometre line in Zhuzhouand, once completed, will be able to dock with the city’s mid-low speed maglev train.

Related Content

  • September 13, 2018
    UK government reveals £400m EV charging network boost
    The UK government is providing £400m to create an electric vehicle (EV) charging point infrastructure, in partnership with the automotive industry. UK prime minister Theresa May says the government will ensure charge points can be easily accessed and available at motorway service stations and other petrol stations. There will also be £1.5bn for the development of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVS). Speaking at the country’s first Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit in Birmingham, May unveiled an ‘am
    Read More
  • February 14, 2018
    Egis selected as project consultant for Bangkok monorail contract
    Thai Mass Rapid Transit Authority has chosen Egis as a project consultant for Bangkok’s Pink Line monorail along with its local partner Team Consult. The estimated ฿53.5bn (£1.2bn) scheme will deploy 42 trains with a maximum speed of 80 km / h with the intention of carrying more than 28,000 passengers per hour in each direction and increasing everyday journeys to more than 400,000 people. This venture is part of the Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan which intends to develop the public transport network in the
    Read More
  • May 9, 2024
    Tattile has eyes on Buenos Aires
    Tattile has provided its high-performance free-flow ANPR system consisting of Vega Smart 2HD camera and Axle Counter cameras - powered by artificial intelligence - to the capital of Argentina. David Arminas reports
    Read More
  • October 10, 2012
    Wireless charging project could change perceptions of electric vehicles
    A two-year pilot project has begun in London with taxi firm Addison Lee and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Renault, which uses the principle of magnetic induction to jump electricity from a base station direct to the vehicle’s battery to deliver wireless charging. The charging technology being used is called Halo and has been developed by mobile innovations company Qualcomm, the organisation responsible for processors powering the latest generation of smartphones and tablets. ‘EV drivers will opt for th
    Read More

Highlighted Content