Renault Float

Here comes the new Renault Float. Designed by Yuchen Cai, this car uses magnetic levitation technology, with autonomous driving technology. Moreover, it has a magnetic belt to attach multiple pods. Now that's interesting!!

About the Tech:

Maglevs incorporate a basic fact about magnetic forces-like magnetic poles repel each other, and opposite magnetic poles attract each other-to lift, propel, and guide a vehicle over a track. Maglev propulsion and levitation may involve the superconducting materials, diamagnetism, and rare earth magnets. It uses the concept of magnetic suspension which enables faster transportation.

What is magnetic suspension?

It is a method for suspending an object into the air with the help of a magnetic field, which is strong enough to counteract gravitational acceleration and other accelerations.

But there are 2 issues:

Upward force sufficient to counteract the other forces

Stability

Upward force:

Magnetic materials and systems are able to attract or press each other apart or together with a force dependent on the magnetic field and the area of the magnets. To calculate the amount of lift, magnetic pressure C be defined, which is essentially energy density associated with magnetic field:

P=B^2/2u

Stability:

Earnshaw's theorem proves that using only paramagnetic materials it is impossible for a static system to stably levitate against gravity. However, servomechanisms, the use of diamagnetic materials, super conduction, or systems involving eddy currents allow stability to be achieved.