Hyperloop: A race against time

We are losing valuable time of our life in travel. We need to sit back and relax. Instead, we panic due to the travel time. Technologies like Hyperloop will definitely change the course of transportation.

In an exclusive interview with Rohan Ambike, Bibop G Gresta, Chairman, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc speaks about Hyperloop Technology and how it will bring a revolution in the transportation sector. Excerpts:

Can you tell us what Hyperloop exactly is?
Hyperloop is currently much talked upon and in fact there are many misconceptions about it. In a true sense, we are not doing anything new. (In today’s time) we know how to make a space ship and we have sent people to the moon and brought them back. On a similar basis, Hyperloop is just a replica of converting the technology in a safe and comfortable environment on the ground. What we are doing is that we are replicating the pressure that actually is at around 200 kilometers in air, on the ground. The Hyperloop mode of passenger is a freight transportation that propels a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at airline speeds. The pods accelerate to cruising speed gradually using a linear electric motor and glide above their track using passive magnetic levitation or air bearings.

In case something goes wrong, we have developed a system that can re-inject air in less than 10 seconds( that will balance the air pressure, thus avoiding accidents ). This will save the life of people. For Hyperloop, the safety of the people comes first. None of this is possible in an airplane. This is what Hyperloop is and it will change the course of transportation.

For a densely populated country like India, will Hyperloop cause unemployment issues?
Hyperloop will in fact bring a lot of jobs in India. Never in the history of mankind has one system totally replaced the other. Today, though we have high speed transportation like bullet trains, aircrafts, we also have people who travel on foot and on horses. So it will not cause much of employment related issues.

Can you share the details of the projects that are going on in various parts of the world?
We are very much excited to make the most of the opportunities in Asia. We have a range of projects at discussion levels in various countries across the globe. As far as India is are concerned, we have been approached by Chief Ministers of 5 states. We spoke to them and the one that will give us the land we will go and build. We have local partners and we are now raising $ 100 million and bringing another investment from abroad. We have an agreement with France to build a 1 km of test track and an R&D center. We are working with Czech Republic to build the world’s first international route between Czech and Yugoslavia. We are working in Czech Republic on polymers where we are getting a government funding worth $ 50 million. As India is coming up on the horizon of physical infrastructure, it is a good opportunity to experiment various things here. In case of Europe, it is not possible as there has been a mess of the infrastructure. They will have to rework on it (infrastructure). They have to give a thought that how they will make things work in a crunched space. Countries like UAE, India do not have this problem. That is why, we are keen to work more here.

Hyperloop is a race with time or a race against time?
I would call Hyperloop as a race against time. If one looks back into history, those who conquered the routes, were the global rulers. We want to conquer the routes to make things quick yet safe for the mankind. We are in a time where even a 10 kilometer journey takes us almost an hour. We don’t want that. We are losing valuable time of our life in travel. We need to sit back and relax. Instead, we panic due to the travel time. Technologies like Hyperloop will definitely change the course of transportation. I am confident that we will be reaching there soon and that will make our lives comfortable.

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