Virgin to build 35km Saudi hyperloop test track

Virgin Hyperloop One is working with Saudi Arabia’s Economic City Authority (ECA) to conduct a study to build a 35km test and certification track. The company claims its technology can reduce travel times between cities: it says the trip from Riyadh to the Red Sea port of Jeddah would be slashed from 10 hours to 76 minutes, for example, with the Riyadh-Abu Dhabi route cut from 8.5 hours to 48 minutes. The study will take place in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), located 100km north of Jeddah. It w
August 1, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Virgin 8535 Hyperloop One is working with Saudi Arabia’s Economic City Authority (ECA) to conduct a study to build a 35km test and certification track.

The company claims its technology can reduce travel times between cities: it says the trip from Riyadh to the Red Sea port of Jeddah would be slashed from 10 hours to 76 minutes, for example, with the Riyadh-Abu Dhabi route cut from 8.5 hours to 48 minutes.

The study will take place in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), located 100km north of Jeddah. It will also include the construction of an R&D development centre and manufacturing facility.

Mohanud A. Helal, secretary general of ECA, says:” Having Hyperloop at KAEC is going to act as a catalyst for a Saudi Silicon Valley effect and galvanise our software development, high technology research and manufacturing industries.”

As part of the project, the Prince Mohammad bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship will publish an academic paper outlining the economic impact of a Hyperloop Centre of Excellence in KAEC. Additionally, experts from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology will visit the Virgin Hyperloop One testing facility in Nevada to conduct a technical review.

Related Content

  • July 19, 2024
    Red, yellow, green - and WHITE?!
    What on earth is ‘white phase’? Ali Hajbabaie from North Carolina State University tells Adam Hill why red, yellow and green lights may soon no longer be enough at traffic lights
    Read More
  • February 8, 2024
    Hyperloop project aims to link Venice and Padua
    Hyper Transfer is designed to reduce traffic between the two Italian cities - if it is built
    Read More
  • July 17, 2017
    Hyperloop One completes Hyperloop full systems test
    Hyperloop One has completed its first full systems Hyperloop test in a vacuum environment at the company’s test track in the Nevada desert. The vehicle coasted above the first portion of the track for 5.3 seconds using magnetic levitation and reached nearly 2Gs of acceleration, while achieving the Phase 1 target speed of 70mph. The company is now entering the next campaign of testing, which will target speeds of 250 mph. Hyperloop One tested all the system's components, including its highly efficient motor,
    Read More
  • June 7, 2018
    Gridsmart tackling infrastructure security threat
    A new division, formed by Gridsmart Technologies only three weeks ago, is making its public debut here at ITS America Detroit. Gridsmart Information Security & Threat Intelligence (ISTI) is an industry first-of-its-kind transportation cybersecurity group dedicated to providing vulnerability/threat assessments and tailored security strategies. It will work with private companies, departments of transportation, and others to proactively defend and enhance the resiliency of their technical infrastructure
    Read More

Highlighted Content