What is the idea?

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To travel at near supersonic speeds through a tube only ten metres above the earth sounds like an idea that was created in the 60’s for people visioning 2020, but no, it was only in 2012 that Hyperloop sped into the engineering world, and it has dominated that world ever since. To reduce a journey time from two hours to twelve minutes is what Hyperloop could do.

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Where would Hyperloops be built?

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The main contender for building the first commercial Hyperloop is the UAE, with a line running from central Dubai to Abu Dhabi’s city centre, stopping at both the cities’ international airports. With various companies going for different routes, Virgin Hyperloop One is the most likely to take on the initial route.

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How do they travel so fast?

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In a pod up to twenty metres long going down a pressurised tube, it means there is very little of the forces that normally affect vehicles on the ground. The Hyperloop uses electro-magnetic forces to hover only a few inches off the floor of the tube - quite a lot like a Maglev train. When traveling at their top speed, they could potentially reach 700mph, but the fastest speed a prototype has reached on a 500 metre test track is 240mph.

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What about its impact on the environment?

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Hyperloop will be greener than other conventional modes of travel. Whilst traveling at the same speed as aeroplanes it will throw close to no CO2 into the atmosphere, because it is electric. Reusable and sustainable energy can be used. If the Edinburgh - London route goes ahead it could halve plane journeys - meaning halving emissions.

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Is Hyperloop coming to the UK?

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Yes! Virgin Hyperloop One has considered two lines in the UK in their top ten most game-changing Hyperloop systems. The first, from London to Edinburgh, stopping at Birmingham and Manchester. Another, from Glasgow to Liverpool, being easily connected to the other line by existing railways.

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So, Hyperloop is looming in the very near future, with the first aimed to open in 2025, which will revolutionise the way we travel. Making it faster, greener and more exciting.