The UAE’s shelved plans for a Hyperloop system could be brought back to paper thanks to renewed interest in developing a passenger route in Italy by 2029.
The industry was dealt a blow in December when Hyperloop One, the startup that proposed a high-speed transit system for Emirates and elsewhere, announced it was ending development and selling assets.
Long established as a theoretical means of high-speed transportation, motorized tube technology remains a challenge, despite speeds of 1,000 km/h having the potential to reduce travel times and the environmental impact of mass travel. It has proven to be expensive and difficult to achieve in practice.
But there is renewed interest in Italy’s plans as Hyperloop TT chief executive Andres de Leon says: “We now have a real project, we have a real opportunity.” are gathering.
We change the world in terms of transportation infrastructure
Andres de Leon, HyperloopTT CEO
The proposed Hyperloop link between Venice and Padua is a joint venture between the Italian government and private investors.
The 800 million euro ($862 million) project aims to be the world’s first practical passenger system, and is intended to be the world’s first practical passenger system, with cargo and cargo vehicles in an effort to remove heavy goods vehicles from busy routes in northern Italy’s industrial region. It is planned to incorporate logistics.
“Since the announcement of the Italian project and the signing of this contract, this has reignited interest in hyperloop in other regions as well,” de Leon said. The National.
“Now there are real projects, there are real opportunities. There was a moment with the pandemic when interest decreased and conditions for developing the industry became very difficult.
“We have therefore resumed dialogue in the region.
“Given the local environment, we are once again working with our partners and those who have previously had an interest in this issue.
“There is now renewed global interest.
“If we had this money for technology development, [in Italy], you can utilize it all over the world. There’s a good chance. ”
Connections between Venice and Padua
Once completed, the Hypertransfer project is expected to reduce traffic congestion, reduce traditional transport times and energy consumption, improve road safety and strengthen connectivity between Venice Mestre and Padua.
Bibop Gresta, founder and CEO of Hyperloop Italia, said the industry is ready for the next stage of development.
“The growth of the hyperloop field is remarkable and it is undergoing a renaissance,” he said.
“HyperloopTT’s 10 years of technology development, along with rapid progress in Europe and successful testing in China, highlight the industry’s dynamism.
“Italy is ready to be at the forefront of this green rapid transport revolution.”
Hyperloop 1: History
Founded in 2014, Hyperloop One (formerly Virgin Hyperloop) has advanced research and development, attracted more than $450 million in investment, and built a passenger test track in the Nevada desert.
Prominent investors include DP World, which has supported the project since 2016 and aims to introduce technology into freight transport operations.
The Hyperloop simulator at Expo2020 in Dubai demonstrated the potential of the system to transform logistics.
Rival Hyperloop TT, meanwhile, was looking to launch the technology in Abu Dhabi in 2020 before the global pandemic derailed its plans.
With development hubs in Brazil, freight planning in Germany, and a driving test track in France, Hyperloop TT not only develops a regulatory and insurance safety framework, but also overcomes significant financial obstacles. He was seen as being at the forefront of this process.
DeLeon said the science had the potential to transform travel, and skeptics were too quick to sound the death knell for the technology.
“The news of Hyperloop One’s closure was not good news for the industry, which is understandable, but at the same time we recognized their efforts to move the industry forward,” he said.
“This industry is growing, there are some small and medium-sized companies in Europe, and it is also important to say that China is making progress with hyperloop.
“The main message is that the industry is healthy, but it is also true that we have been developing for 10 years.
“People ask if this is coming and when it’s coming.
“It’s important to understand that we’re not just doing typical startups like web applications and mobile apps, we’re changing the world from a transportation infrastructure perspective.”
The system moves people and goods safely, efficiently and sustainably at the speed of air travel.
Scientists say it has the potential to reduce travel times between city centers from hours to minutes, facilitating widespread economic expansion across connected regions, while reducing current carbon-intensive travel. It claims that options can be replaced.
global picture
The high-speed rail network, using bullet trains and magnetic levitation, is currently the fastest ground transportation system, reaching speeds of around 500 kilometers per hour in Shanghai.
Hyperloop is faster and is intended to run continuously from point to point, but transports fewer passengers.
Other players in the industry include Hard Hyperloop in the Netherlands, Zeleros in Spain and India’s first venture to complete a feasibility study to reduce travel time from Delhi to Mumbai from three hours to less than an hour. Includes DGW Hyperloop.
California-based Hyperloop TT is now shifting its focus from its 300-meter test track in Toulouse to bringing a high-speed link to Italy.
Updated: February 19, 2024, 4:56 AM