Hyperloop has already begun building its first capsule: A sneak preview of specs
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) has begun construction of the world’s first full-scale passenger hyperloop capsule. The company claims that this capsule is the culmination of over three years and thousands of hours of design, research, and analysis.
This capsule is being built in collaboration with Carbures S.A. (MaB: CAR), a leading expert in fuselage and advanced materials construction in both aeronautics and aerospace. The final specs for the capsule are also here. It will be approximately 30 metres (i.e. 98.5 feet) long, have a diameter of 2.7 meters (i.e. 9 feet), weight 20 tons, and have a capacity of 28-40 passengers. Speed: Up to 1,223 km/hr (760 mph).
“We are building the world’s first full-scale passenger hyperloop capsule,” HTT CEO Dirk Ahlborn said.
“We are taking a passenger-first approach to guarantee that safety is always our number one concern. It has been crucial in our development to go past the simple requirements of freight in order to build a better and safer system for everyone.”
Founded in November 2013, in the crowdsourcing incubator JumpStartFund, HTT was formed to advance the technical and economic knowledge base of the Hyperloop transportation system; to develop and construct a full-scale research, prototype development and evaluation facility; and to implement the commercial deployment of an end-to-end Hyperloop ecosystem to address the ever-increasing intercity transportation needs of our society in a safe, affordable, and environmentally sustainable manner.
The construction is scheduled to conclude in early 2018, following which an official reveal has been planned at the HTT’s R&D centre in Toulouse, France, for integration and optimisation. The capsule will then be deployed for commercial use, which will be decided based on the results of the negotiations and feasibility runs that they are currently conducting around the world.
Since its inception, HTT has grown quickly to include over 800 highly experienced engineers, architects, scientists, computer modelers, transportation planners and construction professionals working collaboratively to plan, design and construct this entirely new mode of transportation.
“We have some of the best global talent as part of our team,” said HTT Chairman Bibop Gresta. “Tapping into this expertise ensures we are able to build not just faster, but better. Hyperloop comes to life because we’re building this company in a smarter way.”
“This is a fascinating project, utilising our expertise and technology around the world,” said Carbures Co-founder and Chairman Rafael Contreras. “We are pleased to work in this global innovative and important project.”
Given Carbures' 15 years of experience, employee-strength of 1,000, eight manufacturing plants and five engineering centers, HTT Board Member Ramón Betolaza says that they are the perfect partner for HTT.
HTT also has an exclusive agreement with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for use of their passive magnetic levitation system as the core of low-cost, safety-conscious design and construction of the Hyperloop.
