Researchers at the capital’s top university could be able to experiment with futuristic transport pods designed to fire passengers long distances at high speeds if planning permission for a test track is granted.
The University of Edinburgh’s HYPED Hyperloop team hopes to have the 100 metre rail at the King’s Buildings operational by June in a bid to cement the city as a hub for the technology.
The innovation, attributed to SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk, involves electrically-propelled pods travelling through a near-vacuum tube at speeds that could cut the journey time between Edinburgh and London to less than an hour.
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Researchers say the track, which would see prototypes shot at 90mph, would allow the facility to host international conferences exploring the latest developments in the field.
It comes just two months after Virgin cancelled their plans to accelerate Hyperloop passenger travel - despite a previously successful test in the United States.
The University team reached the final of the 2019 SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition in California after pitting their prototype - known as the Flying Podsman - against those from as far afield as Germany, Switzerland and Australia.
Their latest creation has been imaginatively nicknamed ‘Greyfriars Poddy’ as the team continues to chase their ultimate goal of creating a fully scalable model.
HYPED treasurer Gregory Dayao said the track could be “vital” in advancing ambitions for the technology - which may offer a greener version of overland travel in the future.
He told Edinburgh Live: “The test track allows HYPED to compete at the international level and evidence that the University is a hub for Hyperloop development in the UK.
“We will use the track to test our Hyperloop pod prototypes and showcase new forms of transportation technology. Prototypes, which range from three to five metres in length, will reach up to 90 mph over the 100m track.
“The test track opens opportunities for Edinburgh to host Hyperloop conferences and events, such as European Hyperloop Week, which will attract professionals and enthusiasts from the Hyperloop and engineering community.”
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In November 2020, Virgin fired a capsule more than 500 metres at a speed of around 106 miles per hour for a journey time of just over six seconds after carrying out hundreds of tests in the Las Vegas desert.
The firm was given permission to build a test track between the Indian cities of Mumbai and Pune, a distance of 93 miles, but abandoned the passenger project to focus on freight transportation instead.
It is hoped rapid travel can help deliver vital supplies such as medical and disaster relief items at a fraction of the time of conventional methods.
The application will be considered by City of Edinburgh Council planning bosses at a later date.
HYPED are seeking supporters to back Hyperloop development in the UK and can be contacted at team@hyp-ed.com
