Propulsion is accomplished through a long-stator linear synchronous motor fixed to the underside of the guideway. The concept derives from that of a standard electric motor, except that the stator and cable windings are cut and placed lengthwise along the guideway. The magnets, acting as the excitation for the motor, are mounted on the vehicle undercarriage. Therefore, instead of a rotating magnetic field, a traveling magnetic field is created by adding electrical current to the system.

Acceleration and regular braking of the vehicle is performed by the propulsion system, a synchronous longstator linear motor. In addition to these generator brakes, the braking function of the vehicle is assured by the modular eddy-current brakes. The individual eddy-current braking magnets act on the guidance rails of the guideway and guarantee the braking of the vehicle.

In the speed range 500 to 10 km/h the emergency braking function is realized by two eddy-current braking magnets per section. At speeds of less than 10 km/h, the vehicle is set down and slides on the support skids. The operation of destination braking is conducted by a safeguard computer in the vehicle which, depending on the defined brake profiles, issues control commands to the brake control units of the eddy-current brakes.
The fail-safe functioning of the eddy-current brakes is achieved by means of the modular, redundant structure and the safe fault disclosure of eight autonomous braking circuits per section

• Levitation/Guidance
• Propulsion
• Power Transfer
• Guideway & Switching
• Technical Maturity & Cost