Skip to main content

Hyperloop One unveils nine routes across Europe as part of its Global Challenge

Executives from Hyperloop One joined European dignitaries and policymakers in Amsterdam, Holland today at its Vision for Europe summit to discuss transforming transportation across the continent with Hyperloop.
June 6, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Executives from 8535 Hyperloop One joined European dignitaries and policymakers in Amsterdam, Holland today at its Vision for Europe summit to discuss transforming transportation across the continent with Hyperloop.

With Hyperloop One, passengers and cargo are loaded into a pod and accelerated gradually via electric propulsion through a low-pressure tube. The pod quickly lifts above the track using magnetic levitation and glides at airline speeds for long distances due to ultra-low aerodynamic drag. It is designed for higher energy efficiency per passenger mile than traditional modes of transport, curbing emissions and fuel consumption. By the end of 2017, Hyperloop One aims to have a team of 500 employees dedicated to bringing the technology to life.

Nine potential European routes were unveiled for the Hyperloop One Global Challenge at the event. The proposed routes will connect over 75 million people in 44 cities, spanning 5,000 kilometres. They were presented as part of the all-day summit that included a panel discussion around the economic advantages of Hyperloop and a keynote address from Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, Melanie Schultz van Haegen.

The Hyperloop One Global Challenge kicked off in May 2016 as an open call to individuals, universities, companies and governments to develop comprehensive proposals for deploying Hyperloop One's transport technology in their region. Nine European proposals have advanced to the semi-final round of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge of more than 2,600 participants' initial submissions.

Proposed routes include Germany, Estonia-Finland, Spain-Morocco, Corsica-Sardinia, The Netherlands, Poland, UK Scotland-Wales, UK Northern Arc and UK North-South Connector.

According to Rob Lloyd, chief executive officer of Hyperloop One, Hyperloop One technology is complementary to existing highways, rails, ports and overall infrastructure. He claims, "Hyperloop One will offer Europe's transport grid with an option that is more efficient, greener, on-demand and faster. We've seen a lot of interest here, and we look forward to creating a partnership to enhance the continent's transport infrastructure."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Significant drop in Europe’s traffic congestion mirrors economic downturn
    June 25, 2012
    Inrix, a leading international provider of traffic information and intelligent driver services, has released its latest traffic scorecard which shows that, among the 13 European nations analysed, the countries impacted the most by the European debt crisis mirror those with the largest drops in traffic congestion. Portugal (-49%), Ireland (-25%), Spain (-15%) and Italy (-12%) were among those with the largest declines last year. Despite being considered the strongest European economies, troubles across the E
  • TRL pledges support for global initiative at UN Climate Summit
    October 2, 2014
    The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL)’s chief executive Rob Wallis, attending the United Nations Climate Summit in New York last week, was delighted to be able to pledge TRL’s support to the UEMI initiative, by UN-Habitat. “The UEMI initiative, aimed at substantially increasing the adoption of electric vehicles within urban environments, aligns strongly with TRL’s own strategy and current activities,” Wallis explained. “TRL is actively engaged in leading innovative research programmes to understan
  • Integrating ferry transport into smart ticketing
    March 1, 2013
    Transport authorities are increasingly looking to integrate ferry travel into the mix of public transport. David Crawford finds out more. The new A$370m (US$398m) Opal public transport smartcard system being installed by the Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS)-led Pearl consortium in Sydney is geographically the largest in the world to date. The consortium includes the Commonwealth Bank of Australia; Australian retail payment system provider ePay; Australian infrastructure engineering company Downer Group; a
  • Gotthard Base Tunnel opens in Switzerland
    June 1, 2016
    After 17 years of construction, the 57 kilometre-long Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland, said to be the longest train tunnel in the world opens today, 1 June. At a depth inside the Gotthard massif of more than 2,000 metres, trains will travel at up to a maximum 250 kilometres per hour. The opening is attracting attention from high profile figures outside of Switzerland, including Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel, French president François Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who will al