The longest tunnel in Europe was opened in the Netherlands to test hyperloop technology. The idea is that passengers are transported between cities and countries quickly and efficiently.
The hyperloop concept was introduced by Elon Musk, who wanted a “fifth mode of transportation” that would connect San Francisco and Los Angeles. At the time, the businessman claimed that a hyperloop tube could connect the two cities in around 30 minutes, compared to up to six hours by road or an hour by plane.
Since then, several projects have been worked on, notably one signed by the British Richard Branson. Despite having sent two passengers on a test trip in 2020, his company Virgin Hyperloop ended up closing.
Now, what is the longest tunnel in Europe has been opened to test hyperloop technology.
Hyperloop will deliver fast travel between cities and countries
The new white tunnel stretches for 420 meters and is made up of 34 interconnected tubes measuring around 2.5 meters wide. According to information, almost all the air is sucked out of the tunnel, in order to reduce air resistance and the vehicle can be propelled by magnets at speeds that can eventually reach 1000 kilometers per hour.
Shaped like a Y, the European Hyperloop Center is the only facility in the world that has a “lane switch”, a tunnel that branches off the main track, allowing scientists to test what happens when a vehicle changes direction at high speed.
This is necessary to create a network. The lane switch is a divergent part of the infrastructure, so one part goes, for example, to Paris and the other goes to Berlin.
Said the director of the European Hyperloop Center, Sascha Lamme, who foresees a network of 10,000 kilometers of tunnels crossing Europe by 2050.
If we look at the way highways have developed over time, the evolution is exponential when the technology is ready.
We created something that is very scalable. It can advance very quickly. Therefore, it should be possible to enter a station in Amsterdam and travel to a city like Barcelona in two hours.
He shared Lamme with Agence France-Presse, explaining that it is “just like you do with a plane, but without all the hassle”.
Dutch company Hardt Hyperloop plans to carry out the first vehicle tests in the coming weeks and the European Hyperloop Center is available to companies developing any aspect of hyperloop technology.
Although they are optimistic, scientists admit that there is a “long way” to go until the technology is completely ready, and they are still far from testing with passengers.
These should be available by 2030, probably on a short route of around five kilometers – from an airport to a city, for example, according to Lamme.
Hyperloop technology can integrate the future of mobility
According to those who defend hyperloop technology, it does not produce pollution or noise, and integrates into urban and rural environments.
The energy consumption of hyperloop as a means of transport is much lower (than others).
It also requires less space to operate because we have these tubes that can be easily placed underground or in high places. Therefore, we have a smaller infrastructure footprint.
Said Marinus Van der Meijs, director of technology and engineering at Hardt Hyperloop.
