Kawasaki Heavy Industries have outlined their plans to build not only Japan’s fastest train, but to engineer it with the environment in mind. The Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train (efSET) will fly along at 217mph, topping Japan’s current record holder, the Shinkansen, which can reach 186mph.

The new train is sleek and promises to be less noisy than other high-speed trains, which is good news for anyone living near a rail line. The efSET will also utilize a regenerative braking system to capture energy from braking force, reducing its use of grid electricity.

Kawasaki is aiming to have the design finalized in 2010 and they plan to release it internationally, so you may see one in a town near you within the next couple of years. It all depends on the availability of high-speed rail infrastructure. Kawasaki predicts 10,000km (6214 miles) of high-speed track will be installed globally over the next 20 years, generating large demand for super-fast trains to run on them.

The efSET is still a long way from being the fastest train in the world with France’s TGV capable of 357.2mph, but it is still a massive improvement over what most of us are used to. Kawasaki should be congratulated for looking towards the international market, enabling the world to benefit from their technology and innovation in much the same way Boeing and Airbus do in aviation.

Sources:
Kawasaki Heavy Industries (translated)
Via: Inhabitat