Fancy a Hyperloop ride from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to the city center in less than 10 minutes? By proposing this galactic leap in speed, Virgin Hyperloop on Sunday signed an agreement to conduct a feasibility study for this corridor and then build a test track at the airport.
Arguably the first of any airport in the world, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Virgin Hyperloop signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct the study.
With speeds of up to 1,080 km / h, Hyperloop could transport thousands of passengers per hour from KIA to the city center in less than 10 minutes. The pre-feasibility study, which focuses on route, economic and technical feasibility, is expected to be completed in two phases of six months each.
The memorandum of understanding was virtually exchanged between Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, president of Virgin Hyperloop and DP World, and TM Vijay Bhaskar, chief secretary of the Karnataka government and chairman of the BIAL board of directors.
Seen as a technology that could profoundly disrupt travel in the future, Sultan Ahmed named Hyperloop for KIA as a solution to address congestion and support Bengaluru’s economic growth. Travelers could streamline their multimodal travel with hassle-free check-in and security for both their hyperloop and air travel at centrally located hyperloop portals.
“Beyond passenger traffic, airports are a crucial conduit for goods, especially express deliveries. A connected hyperloop airport would dramatically improve cargo delivery and create an ultra-efficient supply chain, ”he said.
BIAL and Virgin Hyperloop had first raised the idea two years ago. Virgin Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jay Walder said the technology would create a 21st century passenger experience and expand the airport’s capacity.
“We are excited to take this historic step that can catalyze the economic growth of Karnataka and the region. This study is an important step forward, ”said BIAL CEO and CEO Hari Marar.
Virgin Hyperloop had successfully tested Hyperloop technology at scale. It operated a large-scale hyperloop vehicle using electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation in near vacuum conditions, achieving a fundamentally new form of transportation that is faster, safer, cheaper and more sustainable than existing modes.
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