Virgin Hyperloop has offered a preview of its vision for the future hyperloop experience, bringing the new mode of transport to life with a newly-released concept video.
The video (scroll down to view) provides viewers with a step-by-step guide through a hyperloop journey, from arrival at the portal to boarding the pod, travelling within an enclosed capsule in a tube, through to de-boarding.
The interior of the new transport resembles a business class cabin on an aircraft, including the rounded ceiling, with a 1-2 seating configuration. Each vehicle carries up to 28 passengers.
A simulated skylight will mimic natural light “making the cabin feel more open and welcoming,” the company says on its website.
Each vehicle will feature luggage racks for the daily commuter or holidaymaker, and seats will come fitted with wireless charging stations for personal electronic devices.
“Designing a new mode of transportation from scratch is both an opportunity and a responsibility,” said Sara Luchian, Virgin Hyperloop’s Director of Passenger Experience and one of the first people to ride the hyperloop last November.
“Hyperloop technology – and what it enables – is paradigm-shifting. It follows that the passenger experience should be nothing short of extraordinary.”
“The new mode of travel at supersonic speed rethinks transportation and the perception of space, landscape, time, and distance,” said Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, the firm behind the portal designs.
“In this day and age, Virgin Hyperloop taking off from our portals provides holistic, intelligent transportation for a globalised community to travel across vast distances in a safer, cleaner, easier, and faster way than airlines,” Ingels said.
A key pillar of Virgin Hyperloop’s passenger experience is accessibility, ensuring that this new form of transportation will expand opportunities for the masses. While ticket prices will vary depending on the exact route, a recent study found that hyperloop fares would be more akin to the cost of driving, rather than flying.“It’s simple. If it’s not affordable, people won’t use it,” said Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop. “Daily high-speed transport is currently not feasible for most people, but we want to change that notion. Imagine being able to commute between cities that are currently hours apart in minutes – and the endless possibilities that opens up.”
On demand and direct to destination, the hyperloop system would be able to transport thousands of passengers per hour, and has been flagged for numerous routes across the United States.
Following their successful passenger testing, Virgin Hyperloop is currently paving the way for the regulation and certification of hyperloop systems around the world. The company aims to achieve safety certification by 2025, with commercial operations – such as those depicted in this video – beginning in 2030.
All renderings courtesy of Virgin Hyperloop
