Electronics and Semiconductors

Video: China begins building first hyperloop line

25 April 2023

China is building its first hyperloop train line between the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou that could take passengers along a 93-mile in-vacuum tunnel traveling at speeds of up to 621 mph.

According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and rail authorities have commissioned an assessment for an ultra-high speed pipeline maglev system demonstration line. The CAE is a government body that provides scientific and technological advances to the Chinese government.

The line is expected to be operational by 2035 and would connect the capital city of Beijing with Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei province. This would connect two major cities in Northern China and help to relieve congestion on existing transportation routes around the capital, the report said.

According to the CAE, the hyperloop project is a strategy significant to China and several lines were considered for the project and there may be future lines including Guangzhou to Shenzhen and Chengdu to Chongqing.

The line was judged to have strong economic potential due to its high population density and the vibrant economic activity in both cities, and with relatively flat terrain, it also has good technical feasibility. Such a project would also have a positive social impact by promoting regional integration between Shanghai and Hangzhou, the report said.

What is the hyperloop?

Hyperloop technology uses magnetic levitation to lift a pod off the track and guide it as it moves, creating a friction-free track. Almost all the air in the tube surrounding the pod is removed to create the same environment found at 200,000 ft above sea level. The combination of the linear motor, magnetic levitation and low-pressure tube reduces drag so that only a small amount of electricity is needed to propel the pod at speeds as high as 670 mph. This could possibly create a more cost-effective system than high-speed rail or airline transportation.

(Learn more about magnets on Globalspec.com.)

The technology is not only ultra-fast but is reportedly energy-efficient and completely CO2 neutral. This combination is one of the reasons the hyperloop has gained attention in the transportation market as countries look for new ways to meet carbon footprint requirements while providing new ways of traveling for consumers.

However, the technology has come under scrutiny as companies, governments and organizations question whether it can be used effectively or ever come to fruition.

Many critics say the technology is too expensive and too convoluted to be feasible for mass market transportation purposes. While numerous projects have cropped up to tackle the technology including initially Elon Musk’s SpaceX and The Boring Company, other companies are already actively testing the technology both in North America and Europe.

Adding fuel to the fire of doubt, last year Virgin Hyperloop decided to forgo working on any further passenger travel potential in favor of focusing solely on cargo carrying capabilities.

To further help promote and unify the technology, companies developing hyperloop technology formed a coalition earlier this year called The Hyperloop Association.

To contact the author of this article, email PBrown@globalspec.com


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