A Switzerland-based startup has revealed its plans to build a hyperloop transport system under the Alps that will transport passengers from Zurich to Geneva in 17 minutes. Named Swisspod, the startup was founded in 2019 by Tudor and Cyril Dénéréaz. The duo is multiple-award winners of the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition run by Musk’s firm. The company claims that its hyperloop system will be capable of transporting passengers and cargo at speeds of up to 745mph beneath the Swiss Alps. At that kind of speed, the journey time between the two major Swiss cities will be cut down by about one-ninth in comparison to regular trains.
According to Denis Tudor, Swisspod’s CEO and co-founder, the company’s hyperloop will hit the market in just four to five years, which is overly ambitious. However, Swisspod has already built an operational test track for the ultra-fast transportation system at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). The test track is described as the “first operational hyperloop testing facility in Europe” and the official press release states that it is “a crucial leap forward for the evolution and adoption of sustainable intra-continental mobility solutions.”
The team at EPFL is currently working along with Swisspod to create a propulsion system for their hyperloop transportation. The company’s CEO previously said that their transporter capsules will be capable of traveling somewhere between 620-745mph. Swisspod has also revealed several digital renderings of its hyperloop system, including the cargo and passenger capsules. The company has also showcased the planned interior design for the passenger capsule that features a minimalist look with no windows and individual seats. The cabin gets a red and white color combo in a nod to Switzerland’s national flag. Several hyperloop projects are underway at different places around the world. Virgin Hyperloop hit a big milestone last November when it successfully conducted the first every manned test in Nevada.
