tech2 Staff NewsJan 28, 2021 14:52:30 IST
Months after their first passenger test, Virgin Hyperloop has unveiled a new concept video, which will take the viewer step by step through a hyperloop journey, from getting to the port to getting on pod board. “Demonstrating Virgin Hyperloop’s passenger experience is a vision of the future, following the success of three months ago when people were riding in a hyperloop pod for the first time,” he said. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and Group Chairman and CEO of DP World.
Pod Virgin Hyperloop
“We have shown that our technology is mature. We are getting closer to commercialization on the first new large-scale mode of transport in a century, ”said Sulayem.
The designs and concept seen in the video mimic what the global hyperloop systems would look like, including operations in India. It shows that there will only be about 28 passengers in each hyper loop vehicle.
“Imagine being able to travel between Mumbai and Pune in 30 minutes, with a smooth, non-stop journey from end to end,” said Harj Dhaliwal, Managing Director of Virgin Hyperloop in the Middle East and India. “We are committed to bringing this vision to life – in Maharashtra and beyond – and we are working closely with our partners, investors and governments to do just that.”
Interestingly, for the Hyperloop, the company did a lot of sound research.
“We deal with sound faster than any other sense, so sound drives the multi-sensory experiences. The sonic features of Virgin Hyperloop’s identity system guide passengers throughout their experience while building confidence, safety and clarity – you ‘feel it’ rather than ‘hear it’. Just like a great movie score, it tells you the story. We know when we got it right when you don’t notice the sound at all: the interface is humanized in ways that are new and familiar, ”said Joel Beckerman, Founder and Lead Writer at Man Made Music. Hyperloop is teaming up with Man Made Music for the conference’s sonic score and identity.
In terms of travel costs in the Virgin Hyperloop, a recent study in Ohio, The U.S. found that Hyperloop fares would be more like the cost of driving, rather than flying.
After its first passenger test, Virgin Hyperloop is currently awaiting regulation and certification of hyperloop systems worldwide – including those in India.
The Virgin Hyperloop is likely to run at 496 km per hour
The company is working on a Mumbai-Pune hyperloop project, which would connect the cities in less than 25 minutes with just zero emissions. Beyond Maharashtra, Virgin Hyperloop is also working with Bangalore International Airports Limited (BIAL) to conduct a feasibility study for a proposed hyperloop corridor from BLR Airport.
Virgin Hyperloop aims to achieve safety certification by 2025, with commercial operations starting in 2030.
The discussion about hyperloop project in India has been ongoing from December 2016. Hyperloop Transport Technologies (HTT) had reached the Indian government five years ago, and then Virgin Hyperloop One agreement signed with the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka in 2017 to investigate the impact of hyperloop in the region.