Japan ups the ante again on high speed trains, 217 mph!

The Japanese already have some of the fastest trains in the world and it looks like Kawasaki Heavy Industries is about to give travelers another reason not to get airborne. The new Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train will hit speeds up to 217 mph thanks to a slick shape to slice through the air and lightweight construction. Those same features will help the electrically-powered super-train use less energy. Also contributing to reduced energy consumption is a regenerative braking system that will recapture kinetic energy during deceleration. Kawasaki plans to complete the design work by early 2010 and hopes to offer the new train system worldwide.

[Source: EcoGeek]