The Italian company IronLev proposes an innovation with a magnetic levitation technology compatible with conventional railways.
IronLev, established in 2017 from a collaboration between the engineering innovation studio Girotto Brevetti and Ales Tech, a startup created by university students participating in SpaceX’s Hyperloop competition, seeks to revolutionize maglev transportation. Unlike traditional systems that rely on electromagnets and high energy consumption, IronLev relies on passive magnetic forces to create an “air cushion” that physically separates the vehicle from the track.
About IronLev’s Magnetic Levitation Technology
Since its launch, IronLev has demonstrated its U-shaped passive ferromagnetic levitation technology through laboratory-tested prototypes. In 2018, they presented a platform with a 2-ton Tesla vehicle that could move with a slight manual push.
IronLev is presented as the future of transportation, eliminating the need for wheels. According to Luca Cesaretti, co-founder of the company, its technology makes it possible to move a 10-ton wagon with the same effort needed to lift a 10 kg backpack, promising to reduce infrastructure costs by up to ten times compared to existing systems.
Unlike conventional maglev networks, which require significant investment in new infrastructure, IronLev proposes to leverage the more than 1.5 million km of existing railroad tracks worldwide. Recently, the team tested a vehicle on a 2 km stretch of the Adria-Mestre route, in cooperation with the Veneto Region in Italy, reaching a self-limited speed of 70 km/h thanks to motors located in each magnetic skid, without making track modifications.
IronLev claims that its patented technology is “extremely cost-effective”. However, as observed in similar systems, permanent magnets, which contain a high proportion of rare earth metals largely controlled by China, can be expensive.
As the project moves towards its commercial debut as a people mover for sustainable, low-noise mobility solutions in urban environments, the next step will be to build a 20-ton vehicle and increase the speed to 200 km/h (124 mph).
IronLev’s proposal to integrate maglev technology into existing rail infrastructures not only opens the door to more efficient and sustainable mobility, but also envisions a future in which technological innovation is aligned with environmental preservation. This approach could catalyze a significant change in the way we think about public transportation, reducing the carbon footprint and improving the quality of life in cities.
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Source: newatlas.com
Photo: shutterstock.com
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