Just when you may have thought the idea of the Hyperloop was dead, one of the largest companies working on the technology has unveiled how it plans to use the system to “revolutionize shipping.” That company is HyperloopTT and in addition to planning a hyperloop transportation system for consumers, it has also worked with Tangerine, a design firm, to create a capsule for carrying freight.
The firm’s alternative to modern-day shipping is dubbed the HyperloopTT Express Freight and it apparently has the potential to be cheaper and deliver goods faster than traditional air and trucking options. The system is made up of special capsules with staggered, double doors on both sides that allow for freight to be simultaneously loaded on one side and unloaded on the other side.
“Hyperloop Express Freight will fundamentally transform how goods are transported globally,” HyperloopTT chief executive Andrés de León said. “By incorporating key innovations like fast automated loading systems, maximized freight capacity and flexible configurations, we have developed a hyperloop design optimized for transporting freight at unprecedented speeds at cheaper rates than currently offered by air and road. This new standard for shipping will enable greater efficiency, sustainability and flexibility in supply chains worldwide, and we are proud to be leading the way in this transportation revolution.”
Read: Bavarian Hyperloop Project Promises Airplane Speeds On The Ground
HyperloopTT believes the freight industry will grow from $260 billion in 2020 to over $484 billion in 2030 and notes that its transportation system can be configured to meet the needs of individual customers. Last year, the firm received an investment from engineering consulting firm Thornton Tomasetti and in May this year was awarded €800 million ($853 million) as part of a European Union tender to build the first commercial hyperloop system in Italy. HyperloopTT has also built the world’s first full-scale hyperloop test facility and established the first insurance framework and safety certification guidelines for commercial hyperloop systems.
“What we have designed is a solution for express freight,” Tangerine chief creative officer Matt Round said. “Our research made it clear that every creative thought we had, and every design decision we made should contribute to reducing the time it takes to move freight from dispatch to delivery. Our solution is a melange of creative leaps and strict mathematical calculations.”
