Elon Musk’s hyperloop idea might have a chance of becoming a reality in North Holland. The Dutch tech company, Hardt, plans to create a 10,000 kilometer (more than 6,000 miles) hyperloop network that crosses multiple national borders. Its latest project centers in North Holland, specifically Amsterdam.
Based on a report from The Guardian, the city of Amsterdam has teamed up with Hardt to create a Hyperloop connecting Netherlands’ capital to cities across Europe. The Dutch startup conducted a study on Amsterdam’s plans for a hyperloop system.
Credit: Hardt
According to Hardt’s study, a hyperloop could significantly decrease the commute between Amsterdam and other major European cities, like Paris, Brussels, or Frankfurt. For example, a trip from Amsterdam to Paris would only take 90 minutes in a hyperloop while a trip to Brussels from Nertherlands’ capital would take a little under 30 minutes.
Besides saving people time and easing traffic congestion above ground, hyperloop could also make public transportation less costly and more environmentally friendly. Jeroen Olthof, North Holland’s deputy for Mobility and Accessibility, seemed optimistic about Amsterdam’s hyperloop.
“We know that people are willing to travel from door to door for up to one hour for their work. With such a super-fast hyperloop, it suddenly becomes possible to travel much longer commuting distances. That sounds promising,” he said. “That is why we are going to consult with other authorities and parties to continue this research.”
Credit: SpaceX
Elon Musk popularized the idea of the hyperloop as the fifth mode of transportation in 2012. His original concept for a hyperloop involved pressurized capsules that rode on bearings driven by linear induction motors and axial compressors. The pressurized capsules would be inside pressure tubes or underground tunnels.
Although, the general idea of city-to-city travel in high-speed transportation vessels may also be credited to Japan. The Asian country already has working bullet trains that can go up to 320kph (200mph) on its Shinkansen train system.
Musk's Boring Company supports his hyperloop idea and SpaceX's program. The Boring Company is currently engaged in a tunneling project in Las Vegas.
Credit: coalkenny/Instagram
Meanwhile, SpaceX has continued to support and cultivate the idea of a hyperloop in society through its Hyperloop Pod Competition. The official webpage for the SpaceX’s Hyperloop reads:
“SpaceX announced the Hyperloop Pod Competition in 2015. The competition’s goal is to support the development of functional prototypes and encourage innovation by challenging student teams to design and build the best high-speed pod. The first three competitions were held in January 2017, August 2017 and July 2018, and were the first of their kind anywhere in the world.”
Featured Image Credit: Hardt Global
