Japanese Researchers Reveal the First Prototype of Magnetically Levitated Cars. It’s as Promising as It’s Experimental

A team of Japanese researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology has recently introduced a prototype of a magnetic levitation system for cars, as environmental news outlet Econews reports.

Even though it’s just a prototype, it raises hopes for a potential revolution in the industry.

Why it matters. If engineers can develop and implement this technology on a large scale, it has the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption in cars by eliminating friction. However, it still faces many implementation challenges.

How it works:

• The system utilizes diamagnetic materials, like graphite, in combination with powerful magnets to levitate vehicles on specialized tracks.
• It only requires energy initially to create the magnetic field, and not during movement.

Potential advantages. The elimination of surface friction could potentially lead to improved energy efficiency and reduced resource consumption for the car.

Moreover, the elimination of vibrations and minimization of damage caused by potholes could lead to the reduction of mechanical wear.

Pending challenges. The Japanese prototype is still small and difficult to scale, while implementing specialized infrastructure also poses significant hurdles. No magnetic roads mean no hovering cars.

High implementation costs and energy loss due to vortex damping are additional challenges. Vortex damping pertains to the formation of small air swirls around the levitating car, which slows it down and may cause stability or height loss. As such, engineers need to address this issue.

Current reality:

• This is an experimental technology still in its early stages.
• There are no definite plans for its commercial implementation.

If the electric transition is proving costly, the magnetic transition would be even more expensive, given that it requires its own asphalt infrastructure.

Reading between the lines. This technology is fascinating, and the prototype looks promising. However, it’s not yet a practical medium-term solution for mass transit. The long-term potential will only become clear over time.

Any other more enthusiastic assessment at this point would be a departure from reality.

This article was written by Javier Lacort and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.

Image | Xataka using Midjourney

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