Maglev transport systems present an attractive option for the mobility mix, and IronLev reckons it has an excellent solution.
One of the ket advantages of maglev systems is that they're quick and quiet - and low maintenance. However, setup can be both expensive and complex.
Italy's IronLev is looking to change that with a passive system that runs on regular rail tracks. That's the first innovation. The next important ingredient is that instead of using significant amounts of power to run a maglev transport system based around electromagnets, IronLev has tapped into passive magnetic forces to create a "cushion of air that physically separates the vehicle from the track."
"Thanks to the features of our technology and to low and speed independent frictions, we can move a 10-ton wagon with the same force that is needed to lift a 22-lb backpack," claimed company co-founder, Luca Cesaretti. "And we aim at cutting the infrastructure costs tenfold with respect to existing systems."
Indeed, where conventional maglev networks involve heavy investment in new infrastructure, the idea here is to make use of the million miles of existing iron railways tracks around the world. IronLev is also claiming that its patented technology is "extremely cost-effective."
The next step in prototype testing process will be building a 20-tonne vehicle and ramping the speed up to 200 km/h (124 mph).