Testing the hyperloop system at a scale model hyperloop facility in Lausanne, Switzerland, 2024. (Swisspod via SWNS)
By Dean Murray via SWNS
A world record for the longest hyperloop trial has paved the way for future high-speed travel.
Hyperloop is an in-development super high-speed transportation system for passengers, using capsules in a tube, and was proposed by Elon Musk in 2013.
Swisspod completed the full-scale equivalent of an 88-mile journey at 303.3mph at a facility in Switzerland.
(Swisspod via SWNS)
The LIMITLESS (Linear Induction Motor Drive for Traction and Levitation in Sustainable Hyperloop Systems) project test was carried out at the scaled-down version (1:12) of the hyperloop system.
The infrastructure has a diameter of 40 centimeters and a circumference of 125.6 meters.
The team conducted a total of 82 tests with experiments replicating a hyperloop capsule’s trajectory within a controlled low-pressure environment operated at 50 millibars.
Swisspod says hyperloop will significantly cut journey times between cities and countries. With magnetic levitation and contactless electric motors, it promises near-zero carbon emissions, making it the most sustainable mode of mass transportation ever conceived.
The high-speed transportation system consists of an autonomous, fully-electric pod levitating at near-sonic speeds up to 746mph in a low-pressure environment, with almost no air resistance.
Swisspod says: “Future tests at the Swiss EPFL facility aim to further validate more efficient versions of the LIM-based hyperloop propulsion and levitation as well as explore the system’s real-world capabilities, limitations, and prospects, while offering vital data for accelerating the path to market deployment.”
(Swisspod via SWNS)
Insights from the Swiss trials will drive advancements in hyperloop technology at Swisspod’s facility in the United States. The company says this site is set to become the world’s largest hub for hyperloop experimentation and the most cost-effective hyperloop system globally. Tests are scheduled to start in early 2025, aiming to validate the hyperloop system for real-world freight scenarios.
Located in the Pueblo Plex campus, in Pueblo, Colorado, the full-scale facility mirrors its Swiss counterpart. The test track features a slightly elliptical closed loop, stretching across a diameter of 1.6 kilometers. Upon completion, it will cover an area of approximately 162,000 square meters.
Swisspod says: “Hyperloop is the ticket to a future where distance no longer defines bonds or opportunities – where speed, convenience, and environmental responsibility are the norm.”
