Hyperloop in 2024: China Takes the Lead

Imagine traveling in a train that moves at the speed of an airplane, cutting travel time between places from hours to minutes without the added burden of airport travel.

This is the ambition that drove Elon Musk to introduce the concept of the Hyperloop in 2013. By building a low-pressure tube, air resistance is significantly reduced, allowing vehicles inside to reach extremely high speeds while using environmentally friendly propulsion technologies.

However, at the end of 2023, Hyperloop projects suffered a major setback when Hyperloop One, one of the leading companies in this field, announced its closure. This raised doubts about the possibility of overcoming the engineering obstacles facing these projects.

But the situation did not remain so pessimistic in 2024. In the third quarter, China conducted a successful test, managing to operate a train at a speed of 1000 km/h in a 2-kilometer Hyperloop tube. The train uses magnetic levitation and propulsion technologies that allow it to float above the track, significantly reducing resistance. The test demonstrated the train’s ability to maintain its course, negotiate curves, and come to a safe stop.

This has renewed hope that this technology could soon become a reality. The unprecedented speed achieved, exceeding that of commercial aircraft (885–965…