Hyperloop is a vacuum tube-based system that moves people and goods in levitating capsules at airplane speeds on the ground. These speeds are achieved by using passive magnetic levitation technology and a linear electric motor in a tube with minimal pressure, reducing resistance. As a mobility solution with transformative power, hyperloop is potentially cleaner, safer, healthier, and more efficient than existing forms of transportation.
Hyperloop is the latest iteration of an ongoing effort to create a high-speed tube-based transportation system. In 2013, Elon Musk released a 58-page document describing hyperloop as a profitable and sustainable transportation system. He opened further advancement to any company that would take the project forward. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) was the first company founded to develop hyperloop and make it a reality.
The basic idea, and most of the technology behind hyperloop, is not new and has been around for a long time. However, the ability to bring everything together emerged only recently. Advancements in battery technology, solar power efficiency, communications and automated control technology create the promise of a profitable system, something that was unthinkable only a decade ago. The availability of technology along with growing government and industry interest in developing sustainable transportation solutions created the perfect moment for bringing hyperloop to life.
The advantages of hyperloop travel are transformative. It solves key long-term challenges faced by modern society: overpopulation, traffic congestion and pollution. By connecting passengers and goods at high speeds, potentially up to the speed of sound (760 mph | 1223 km/h), hyperloop allows people to live further from cities and their jobs, changing travel time from hours to minutes.
A hyperloop feasibility study assesses the technical, financial and regulatory viability of a proposed commercial hyperloop corridor. The study reveals costs, fares, routes, speeds, construction timeframes, environmental factors, and extensive economic data. It also demonstrates how hyperloop can accommodate the region’s projected commuter and freight growth over the next 25 years.
Primarily built on pylons, with some ground level and underground segments as needed, hyperloop uses best practices from civil engineering including seismic design and the ability to withstand thermal expansion. Hyperloop is fully automated which drastically improves safety, efficiency and reliability. The enclosed environment inside the tubes protects the system from weather conditions and traffic crossings. There are emergency plans and redundant escape procedures in the event of any incident. The HyperloopTT system is deemed feasible and insurable by the world’s largest reinsurance company Munich Re.
The HyperloopTT system is designed around passengers. The capsules levitate above the track in a pressurized tube reducing friction and eliminating turbulence. The capsules maintain a high level of comfort throughout the trip, primarily by limiting the force felt during the acceleration and braking phases (0.1G). The cabin is pressurized to be consistent with the atmosphere that is experienced at sea level. The HyperloopTT journey is engineered to deliver a frictionless experience.
Even by conservative analysis, the HyperloopTT system can quickly become profitable, presenting the ability to build a mass transit system without requiring government subsidies.
The HyperloopTT system has a low cost of implementation. In addition, because it operates autonomously and is energy efficient, it also offers low operation and maintenance costs when compared to other high-speed transportation methods.
The introduction of hyperloop allows regions with limited infrastructure to leap directly into the 21st century. In regions with developed infrastructure, hyperloop complements and easily integrates into existing transportation networks.
Studies show that hyperloop moves at airplane speeds with the energy efficiency of high-speed rail. The entire HyperloopTT system has the potential to generate a surplus of energy through solar panels located along the lines and stations, in addition to energy recovered during regenerative braking. Capsules are powered by battery resulting in an emission-free system. Based on the Great Lakes Hyperloop Feasibility Study, when implementing the HyperloopTT system, CO2 emissions are reduced by over 140 million tons over the next 25 years.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (www.hyperlooptt.com, “HyperloopTT”) is an innovative transportation and technology company focused on realizing the hyperloop, a system that moves people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably by bringing airplane speeds to the ground. Through the use of unique, patented technology and a collaborative business model, HyperloopTT is creating a potential new form of transportation.
HyperloopTT’s European Research and Development Center in Toulouse, France, the aerospace capital of Europe, is home to a full-scale test system. In 2019, HyperloopTT released the first comprehensive feasibility study analyzing a hyperloop system, which found that the system is economically and technically feasible and will generate a profit without requiring government subsidies.
Founded in 2013, HyperloopTT is a global network of more than 800 engineers, creatives, and technologists, with 50 corporate and university partners. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, and Toulouse, France, HyperloopTT has offices in North and South America, the Middle East, and Europe.
HyperloopTT is a proud signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, reflecting the company’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.