Veendam, 9th of September – Hardt Hyperloop announces the first successful test of its hyperloop vehicle at the European Hyperloop Center (EHC) in Veendam. This test was performed at the European Hyperloop Center Grand Event. The success of this test marks a significant step forward in the development of hyperloop technology in Europe and the world.

During the test, Hardt’s hyperloop vehicle demonstrated its hyperloop traction technologies, which include the magnetic levitation, guidance, and propulsion systems of the hyperloop. These are at the core of the hyperloop system. The vehicle moved smoothly through the first 90 meters of the 420-meter long EHC facility at a speed of almost 30 km/h, with an acceleration of 0.2G. Earlier this year the hyperloop infrastructure of the EHC has already demonstrated its capability to maintain vacuum conditions, reaching the target pressure of 1 millibar, which is the envisioned pressure for an operational hyperloop system.

The successful test was celebrated at the European Hyperloop Center Grand Event, attended by many industry representatives and notable officials, including Constantijn van Oranje, special envoy of Techleap; Rinke Zonneveld, CEO of Invest-NL, and Henk Emmens, Regional Minister of the Province of Groningen. There was a large presence of the whole hyperloop ecosystem, with among others the hyperloop demo vehicle from the Technical University of Munich, and more than 40 partners involved in the development and implementation of hyperloop.

“The successful first demonstration of our traction technologies is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and partners”, said Marinus van der Meijs, Technology and Engineering Director at Hardt Hyperloop. “We are excited with this first result and can’t wait to perform our upcoming full-speed tests, close to 100 km/hr, in the EHC with a lane-switch later this year.”

Roel van de Pas, Commercial Director and incoming CEO of Hardt Hyperloop added: “This achievement marks a key milestone toward realizing the hyperloop in Europe and around the world. It is a great step in the right direction to continue with proving the other aspects of hyperloop, like cornering, lane-switching, and hyperloop vehicles branching in and out, which can all be tested in the European Hyperloop Center.”

The European Hyperloop Center is an open test facility consisting of 34 connected hyperloop tubes and a tube diameter of 2.5 meters. A unique aspect is the lane-switch, which is an essential part of the hyperloop for the realization of hyperloop networks. The hyperloop pipes are made from steel developed and produced by POSCO (KR) in collaboration with Tata Steel Netherlands (NL), have been assembled into fully pre-fabricated hyperloop tubes by contractor Mercon (NL), and have been installed by infrastructure company Denys (BE), all partners in the Hyperloop Development Program.

Hardt Hyperloop extends its sincere gratitude to all its partners and investors who have contributed to this milestone. The company thanks the Province of Groningen and the Municipality of Veendam, the hosting province and municipality of the European Hyperloop Center. Hardt Hyperloop is now focused on its next testing milestone: a full-speed test (80-100 km/h) through the lane switch in a low-pressure environment, alongside numerous technology verification and validation tests, expected to be completed in the upcoming year.

The global interest in hyperloop technology is growing rapidly. Multiple initiatives for further development and implementation worldwide are popping up, among others in Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Turkiye, India, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the European Union has recognized hyperloop in its Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy, aiming to enhance connectivity between European Member States.

Hyperloop technology offers promising benefits, including infrastructure costs estimated to be lower than high-speed rail, less complicated spatial integration due to the pre-fabricated modular pipes and low land-usage of the hyperloop infrastructure, and energy consumption that is ten times less than that of cars or airplanes, providing an energy-efficient solution for the growing transportation needs.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office, Hardt Hyperloop
Email: press@hardt.global
Website: www.hardt.global

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