Deployment of the CR450 train prototype in Beijing on 29 December 2024 (XINHUA)

Safer, smarter, faster... In China, people prefer high-speed trains to flights if the journey time is under five hours. High-speed train travel is set to become even more attractive with the addition of a new member to the high-speed train family: the CR450, the world’s fastest electric multiple unit (EMU). It is currently undergoing operational testing on the Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu line. This “superstar” of trains can reach a maximum speed of 450 km/h. 

The CR450 accelerates from 0 to 350 km/h in just 4 minutes and 40 seconds, while the Fuxing EMU travelling at 350 km/h takes 6 minutes and 20 seconds. In other words, the acceleration time is reduced by 100 seconds, setting a new world record. The standards for operating speed, energy consumption, interior noise and braking distance are among the best in the world. 

The planned operating speed is 400 km/h. But how is such speed achieved? Over the past five years, developers have been continuously testing ways to reduce the train’s overall air resistance, which has been lowered by 22 percent thanks to several innovations. First, the train’s head is longer, extended to 15 metres, compared with 12.5 metres for the 350 km/h EMU. In addition, the height of the train has been reduced by 20 cm and its weight by 50 tonnes. Drag has also been reduced by completely enclosing the bogies and lowering the skirt panels under the carriages, thus minimising wheel exposure to the air. 

Technological breakthroughs also support this “Chinese pace.” The smart lithium-ion battery pack developed by the Chinese company Sichuan Changhong Battery is considered the “energy heart” that ensures the CR450’s performance. This battery system proactively integrates PHM health management technology, which can prevent failures. It is as if it has an “intelligent brain.” The system can monitor current, voltage and temperature in real time and analyse any abnormal occurrences. 

The service life of these batteries exceeds 12 years. However, they weigh no more than 920 kg, which is 57 percent less than traditional nickel-cadmium accumulators. Safety is a key consideration. By optimising cell performance, adopting active and passive fire-extinguishing devices, and using fire-retardant materials, the battery system enhances protection against risks. 

The CR450 still needs to undergo continuous and rigorous testing. The test phase must accumulate 600,000 km of successful operation before the train is authorised for commercial passenger service.