Global hyperloop industry meets up in Frankfurt

14-09-2021

• Hypermotion Frankfurt: first time all hyperloop stakeholders and major industry players will come together to discuss developments
• Global collaboration on European interoperability and safety standards
• Strong representation of Hyperloop Development Program partners at Hypermotion

This week Hypermotion Frankfurt takes place, an event focused on mobility developments and their impact on the economy and society, with the debut of its hyperloop conference happening on Thursday the 16^th.

This will be the first time all hyperloop stakeholders and major industry players will come together to discuss developments, challenges and solutions, to showcase and to jointly work on main issues in the many workshops.

The hyperloop developments have accelerated over the past years, not least because of the increasing need for a clean alternative to current modalities. The European Commission adopted hyperloop into its Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the World Economic Forum named hyperloop one of the 20 markets of the future, and, with a near-unanimous vote by EU Member State, a committee for the development of hyperloop standards was established.

Despite these and many more important developments and new alliances formed, due to COVID-19 related restrictions there have been no meet-ups or large scale gatherings. However, involving various stakeholders and collectively addressing industry challenges can make a major difference in speeding up the roadmap to implementation, and thus being able to offer a solution in decarbonizing the transport industry.

Mars Geuze, CCO of Hardt Hyperloop explains: “The solution to clean high-speed travel is dependent on innovation, with hyperloop as the big promise. Extensive cross-sector collaboration is essential and needs to be stimulated as much as possible. That’s why an event such as the Hyperloop Conference during Hypermotion is indispensable. We are very much looking forward to finally engaging with everyone in person coming Thursday.”

Global collaboration on European standards
The implementation of a hyperloop system will have to be done in the context of an international network. Standardizing the system characteristics as well as safety measures will enable this. Currently, the European joint technical committee JTC20 is working on creating these standards. A process in which hyperloop developers from all over the world participate and which will eventually ensure interoperability throughout the continent.

Geuze: “Back in 2017, we deviated from the initial hyperloop concept by creating a system in which the rails are placed in the top of the tube and the vehicle levitates towards it. This allowed us to develop and demonstrate a hyperloop lane-switch. Without the possibility of reliable lane-switching at high speed, it would not be possible to create a European network that could function as a competitive alternative to air travel. We’re seeing other developers converging towards this system as well, a development that we very much applaud as it is essential in the context of interoperability.”

Strong representation of Hyperloop Development Program partners at Hypermotion
The Hyperloop Development Program, a public-private partnership between the Dutch government and a group of industry parties, will be largely represented at the Hyperloop Conference with contributions of many of its partners. The Dutch National Railways NS, Nevomo and Hardt Hyperloop participate in the main panel discussion on ‘challenges in the hyperloop ecosystem for passenger transportation’,  6 of 11 workshops are (co-)hosted by HDP partners, and the closing key-note will be given by Mars Geuze of Hardt Hyperloop.

The Hyperloop Conference at Hypermotion Frankfurt takes place at the Frankfurt Messe on the 16^th of September, 2021. The full program can be found via this link.

Read an earlier interview with Mars Geuze for Hypermotion here.