Region: Global
Country: Global / Non-Specific
Sector: Transportation
Keywords: Age of Disruption, Transport
Document Link(s):
Document Summary:
Hyperloop is a proposed mode of ground transport for passenger and freight transportation which consists of pods transported at high speed, through the length of low-pressure tubes that are elevated off the ground, due to a lack of air resistance or friction. Hyperloop has the potential to travel at speeds in excess of 1125km/h (700mi/h) which would reduce travel times over medium-range distances (up to 1,500 kilometres (930 miles)).
Document Details:
The concept of using low-pressure or vacuum tubes as part of a transport system has a long heritage. The Crystal Palace pneumatic railway in London used air pressure to push a wagon uphill (and a vacuum to drag it back down) in 1864. The 'vactrain' developed by Robert Goddard in the early twentieth century is another predecessor to the Hyperloop. Since then, many similar ideas have been proposed. Interest in the concept was reignited by Elon Musk’s 'Hyperloop Alpha' paper published in August 2013, which explored how a modern system could work and how much it could cost.
Travel between cities is largely achieved today through road or rail travel or via air travel, which, though travelling at higher speeds, is problematic due to the additional travel time to/from airports, the need to arrive considerably in advance of departure time, security restrictions, and expense. Air travel is also susceptible to weather conditions, produces noise pollution and is a significant contributor to carbon emissions. Hyperloop is a potential alternative to travelling over medium distances between city centres, which combines the convenience of rail travel with the speed of air travel. It is proposed to be a cheaper and faster option to existing high-speed rail links that could revolutionise passenger and freight transport and supply chains.
Hyperloop is anticipated to be a fast and carbon-neutral way of connecting cities. Hyperloop systems are envisioned to run exclusively on renewable energies that would enable the system to generate more energy than it will consume. It has been proposed to install solar panels along the outside of the Hyperloop tube, which charge batteries storing energy for use at night.
Companies developing Hyperloop are also considering ways to build elevated tracks in major road medians and next to existing railway tracks to lessen the impact construction might have on ecosystems, natural spaces and people living nearby. Hyperloop could be built above or below ground. Building above ground is viable in regions where land is cheap and lacking in obstacles and dense communities, with tunnelling the more feasible option for more developed areas such as the UK, where it is challenging to clear densely built up areas.
Updated: December 28, 2023