Chinese researchers lifted a 2.8-ton car 35 millimeters above the ground on a highway in eastern China’s Jiangsu province.This was achieved by modifying an off-the-shelf car with an array of permanent magnets and installing a suitable guide rail on 7.8km of road, thus achieving magnetic levitation, or maglev technology, reports The Register.

According to the media, eight cars were tested, which developed a speed of up to 230 km/h. Scientists from Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu are investigating whether cars in the future could be equipped with a magnetic cushion to save energy.

In July, China showed a maglev train that can reach speeds of up to 600 km/h. It was recognized as the fastest train in the world, but due to the lack of a track network, it is not widely used. One such service is operating commercially in China – the Shanghai Maglev train travels from the airport to the city at a cruising speed of 431 km/h.