Virgin Hyperloop has unveiled its plans for the hyperloop experience in a video, just months after its first passenger testing. The newly released concept video takes the viewer step-by-step through a hyperloop journey, from arriving at the portal to boarding the pod.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World and Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop, said: “Showing the passenger experience of Virgin Hyperloop is a glimpse of the future, following the success three months ago when people rode in a hyperloop pod for the first time. We have demonstrated the maturity of our technology. We are getting closer to commercialisation of what will be the first new mass-scale transportation mode in a century.”
“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 in November.
“Hyperloop technology – and what it enables – is paradigm-shifting. It follows that the passenger experience should be nothing short of extraordinary.”
Virgin Hyperloop worked with world-class partners across disparate industries – including Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) for the portal designs, Teague for the pod designs, SeeThree for the video and animation, and Man-Made Music for the score and sonic identity – to design a comprehensive, multi-sensory passenger experience that surpasses that of any other form of mass transit.
Far from a dystopian future where dark colours, stark lighting, and screens abound, Virgin Hyperloop’s counter narrative is a more optimistic view of the future: a greener, smoother, safer, and more pleasant mass transit experience.
Beyond the typical touchpoints in transportation, Virgin Hyperloop also researched and incorporated findings from more non-traditional interactions, such as sound.
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 in Ohio found that hyperloop fares would be more akin to the cost of driving, rather than flying.
“It’s simple. If it is not affordable, people will not 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, even though each vehicle carries only about 28 passengers. This high throughput is achieved by convoying, where vehicles can travel behind one another in the tube within milliseconds, controlled by Virgin Hyperloop’s machine intelligence software.
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.