The hyperloop concept proposes a revolutionary mode of transportation which aims to mitigate the resistance that regular vehicles are (quite literally) held back by. For this to be possible, air friction will be eliminated simply by removing the air and creating a vacuum, facilitating (projected) supersonic speeds. The surface friction of trains and cars will be fought and won using a mighty magnet, allowing the hyperloop to take advantage of magnetic levitation.
Elon Musk first conceived the hyperloop concept in 2012, making the transport industry go wild with interest. Musk emphasised that the transport model would be an open source developed by collaborating creatives, and The Boring Company (owned by Musk) hosts a competition for students to create their subscale prototype of a hyperloop to test it at the Space X hyperloop test track.
Musk first proposed a hyperloop system between Los Angeles and San Francisco, making the journey between the cities only 30 minutes compared to the 4-hour train ride and 3-hour flight.
However, to research and further develop the model, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) created a full-scale functioning hyperloop in Toulouse, France. This was used to help gain insight into other future projects and demonstrate how powerful and effective this technology will be to the public. HTT has begun building a connection between Venice-Mestre and Padua, creating one of the first commercial prototypes.
To study the potential of a Great Lakes hyperloop corridor (to connect Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh), HTT partnered with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. The 2019 study conducted by Transportation Economics & Management Systems Inc. (TEMS) highlighted the project’s economic benefits. The following steps, which started in 2023, included environmental impact reports and station studies to integrate with existing infrastructure, paving the way for final design, financing, construction, and commercial operations.
HTT is developing a HyperPort in Hamburg, Germany, to advance the hyperloop concept. The system aims to transport containers efficiently inland, designed to meet industry standards and guarantee reliability and safety. HyperPort capsules can carry two 20-foot containers at high speeds. Currently undergoing optimisation, the system plans to integrate ports into the broader hyperloop network for automated container handling.
The Las Vegas Convention Centre is a three-station transportation system constructed in approximately one year using the Godot tunnel boring machine. The system costs around $47 million and includes twin tunnels, two surface stations, and one subsurface station. Tunnelling took place during conventions with zero disruptions or road closures. The Loop reduces a 45-minute journey to approximately two minutes. Since April 2021, it has transported over 1.5 million passengers, demonstrating a peak capacity of over 4,500 passengers per hour and over 32,000 daily passengers.
Hyperloop can potentially change the world with its technology reaching all aspects of society.
Transportation will never be the same, possibly putting a lot of alternative ways to travel out of business (maybe this pressure will help to motivate air travel companies to get their act together and implement changes to reduce disruptive waiting hours).
The economic impact of hyperloop technology is poised to revolutionise the distribution of wealth and job opportunities in unprecedented ways. For instance, individuals could secure high-paying jobs in cities like London while residing in more affordable regions, such as the North, enabled by the hyperloop’s swift and efficient connectivity. This scenario could lead to a significant redistribution of wealth, fostering more equitable economic development within nations and even across international borders.
With decreased travel times, hyperloop technology could also become a great power within the tourism industry. By significantly reducing the time required to travel between destinations, hyperloop systems could facilitate the rapid movement of tourists, enticing them to explore further afield. Hyperloop will reshape how cities are built and change urbanisation patterns within them- by relieving congestion in city centres and inducing an environment where walking is encouraged.
Not only encouraging the exploration of cities by foot, but the hyperloop is also environmentally friendly (well, more so than traditional modes of transport), in turn reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and traffic congestion- earning the position as one of the smallest carbon footprints in the transportation industry.
In essence, the hyperloop is more than just transportation- but a catalyst for transformative change on a global scale.
