Application Potential of Maglev Technology in Transport Systems

Roland Kircher, Johannes Klühspies, Eckert Fritz and Michael Witt

EconStor Conference Papers from ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics

Abstract: Magnetic levitation is a promising technology for transport application. Compared to traditional transport technologies, such as rail-wheel systems, it offers total friction-less (EMS) or almost friction-less motion (EDS). Today there exist two fundamentally different maglev system technologies, the electromagnetic system (EMS) and the electrodynamic system (EDS). Both system technologies are in competition with conventional rail-wheel systems, mainly in high-speed transportation (EM and EDS) but also in low- and medium speed transportation (EMS). In high-speed transportation maglev systems can compete even with air transport. On a world-wide scale, there exist maglev systems for the high- speed and medium-speed sector, some in commercial operation and some in testing phase. The paper discusses the costs and benefits of the two maglev system technologies based on technical, environmental, social and economic aspects and criteria. These include energy consumption, emissions as well as investment for the infrastructure and estimation of operational costs. In addition, some soft criteria such as passenger comfort and acceptance are considered. As far as available, testing data and operational experience from operating maglev systems and application projects are used. The pros and cons of each system technology (EMS and EDS) for high-speed, medium-speed, passenger and freight transport are discussed in order to evaluate the application potential of maglev technologies. Keywords: Maglev system technologies, environmental aspects, technical and economical aspects, comparison with existing transportation technologies

Keywords: Technology; Environment; Comparison; Assessment; Transport Economy; Sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: R4 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/343525/1/M ... spies-Fritz-Witt.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:esconf:343525

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in EconStor Conference Papers from ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics ().