The Hyperloop is a proposed high-speed ground transportation system for passengers and goods that operates within low-pressure tubes or tunnels to minimise aerodynamic drag and energy consumption. Composed of two main elements, an electric vehicle and a controlled/confined environment provided by a dedicated infrastructure, the Hyperloop has the potential to disrupt intra-continental travels, while being sustainable at the same time. Vehicles (or capsules), supported by magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) and propelled by linear electromagnetic motors, are expected to travel at high-speeds while maintaining energy efficiency comparable to conventional rail-based trains.

At EPFL, the initiative led by the Distributed Electrical Systems Laboratory (DESL), and its partners, takes a comprehensive, system-level approach to modelling and developing optimal design and operational processes of the hyperloop system. We push the boundaries of the hyperloop sector by developing and implementing new technologies. The aim is to develop state-of-the-art solutions that overpass barriers of conventional technologies.

While high-speed solutions, such as MAGLEVs, exist, the cost of their infrastructure is prohibitive as it requires an active and sophisticated rail. Our efforts focus on flipping the MAGLEV concept by integrating the energy reservoir into the vehicle propelled by an optimally-designed linear electric motor. This approach makes the infrastructure passive, composed exclusively of electrically conductive or ferromagnetic materials. 

For the validation of solutions for intra-continental travels, experimental facilities are required that allow long-distance and -duration testing. For this reason, we have built at the EPFL a circular, reduced-scale hyperloop infrastructure. It allows to study complex physical phenomena on reduced scale capsules, validate full-scale feasibility, and optimise innovation at lower costs.