Virgin Hyperloop One
Outer Space Isn't Enough: Now This Airline Brand Is Tackling the Latest Mode of Transport to Blow Your Mind
Excited to announce a new cargo brand using hyperloop technology for an on-demand world https://t.co/MqpJOWx57b @Virgin @HyperloopOne pic.twitter.com/nRnsysR4oa
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) April 30, 2018
They've got an airline, radio stations, mobile network, stores and are even planning on going to Space, now Virgin is getting involved in the all the Hyperloop action.
Called DP World Cargospeed, this Hyperloop will transport packages anywhere in the world within 48 hours and people at airspeed, but with land transportation prices, according to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the CEO of DP World.
The system will be developed by Richard Branson's Virgin Hyperloop and backed by Dubai Ports. Branson has already developed a Hyperloop called Virgin Hyperloop One which, using unmanned pods has reached speeds of 400 miles (643.7km) per hour in its testing grounds in Nevada. They're negotiating projects in three countries in India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which means we may be riding the Sci-Fi-like pod at breakneck speed soon(ish).
If the UAE decides to make its Hyperloop a mixed-use one, then it will be used to transport people during peak hours and goods the rest of the time.
More and more customers expect products in their hands as soon as possible after purchasing online - @DP_World Cargospeed has the potential to change the future of freight transport https://t.co/MqpJOWx57b pic.twitter.com/ukFux3yTTL
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) April 30, 2018
Traveling at top speeds of 1000 km/h DP World Cargospeed systems will transport high-priority, time-sensitive goods including fresh food, medical supplies, electronics, and more https://t.co/MqpJOWx57b pic.twitter.com/u6kL3cL3RW
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) April 30, 2018
This will help cut the costs of the express and cargo freight industry which is set to reach $4 trillion globally, as customers want their packages as soon as possible (in fact, an estimated one third of worldwide cargo is time sensitive). It will also take lorries off the roads and cut warehouse spaces by a quarter.
But if you think you're going to be using a pod to go between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in, oh, a few minutes, think again. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) shut down those rumors, saying that such an advanced system is still under research and development, reported The National.
Rob Lloyd, the CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, understands what a huge undertaking this is. He said that governments will have to study the system from many angles, such as, its environmental impact, the amount of land that will need to be acquired and its availability. This as well as lots of engineering studies and route analysis. Just studying this, will take years, Lloyd says.
However, with delays costing billions, if and when this project goes through, it will go fast. Kind of like the Hyperloop.