By now, most people may have already forgotten about the elevated “straddling” bus, China’s futuristic vehicle that would’ve eased congested traffic in cities — if only they could get it to work properly. In the meantime, China is set to offer another alternative to traditional trams — the new skytrain.
The sophisticated mass transit system of the future took only four months to design and complete, according to China Daily.
The train, which is being eyed to be installed in third and fourth tier cities, has dual compartments that can accommodate a maximum of 200 passengers. Powered by batteries, a fully charged train can run for four hours each charge and can be charged at each station. Charging time is only two minutes.
Nanjing Puzhen Company Limited has reportedly assembled the country’s very first skytrain on Saturday, in Nanjing. With the success, China has now joined Germany and Japan as the only countries to have “mastered” the technology.
State-owned media further reported that the transit is not only cheaper and much faster to build, but also safe for the environment.
Beijing Jiaotong University professor Yue Zhaohong estimated that dozens of kilometers of sky trains rails can be constructed in only three to five months.
Officials are planning a 2017 debut of the skytrain at a variety of scenic places in China.
