So, when are we actually going to be able to board a hyperloop vehicle and ride across Europe? Not very soon, Houter says; however, the first routes could in fact start operating very soon.
“We see the most potential in transporting cargo first and adding the passenger capacity later,” Houter said. “There are less safety restrictions and regulatory hurdles for cargo operations. You can also test the whole system in an operational setting but without people inside, which gives the government and regulators greater peace of mind.”
Houter expects that the first cargo operations may commence as early as 2028. The vehicles will not be big enough to move shipping containers, so more demand for the innovative cargo transportation mode is expected to come from package delivery operators. Houter reckons that, when operating at full capacity, hyperloop should be able to offer prices that are compatible to those of conventional ways of moving the cargo, like trucks, ships, and planes.
While the final specification of the European hyperloop network is yet to be finalised, it's hard to say where the first routes will be built. It's quite probable that the plans will get clearer towards the second half of the decade.
In the meantime, Hardt Hyperloop is hard at work (from home) on both the unified hyperloop standard and its own technological solutions. And sure enough, the work requires additional funding, so Houter is busy talking to potential investors.
“We're always looking to raise more money,” he said. “It's going to be a continuous process until the first routes are built.”
