The Hyperloop is a transportation system proposed by businessman Elon Musk in which trains travel at high speeds in low-pressure or empty tubes. The idea is that the trains move at speeds of up to 1,120 km/h thanks to reduced air resistance. The Hyperloop uses a combination of magnetic levitation and propulsion via electric motors to achieve these extremely high speeds.
China has recently completed the first tests of a Hyperloop train on a superconducting magnetic levitation test line in Datong, Shanxi province. The train reached speeds of 50 km/h during tests, but the ultimate goal is to carry passengers and cargo at speeds of 1,000 km/h or faster in a nearly empty tube. The project is led by defense contractor China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and is expected to be extended to 60 km in the coming years.
China already has the world’s largest high-speed rail network and has been investing heavily in Hyperloop technology. In October 2022, researchers from North China University successfully completed testing of a Hyperloop-like train system that runs trains in a low-vacuum environment inside a tube. The organization and the Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. jointly established a laboratory for high-speed magnetic levitation vehicles operating in vacuum environments.
The Hyperloop has been the subject of various research and development projects around the world, including in the United States, Europe, and Asia. However, it is still in an experimental phase and there are still several technical and regulatory challenges that need to be overcome before it becomes viable as a commercial transportation system. Despite this, several companies and organizations are working on pilot projects and tests to advance the technology and bring it closer to reality, we hope so.
