Record for the longest Hyperloop trial

As part of the LIMITLESS project, scientists from EPFL, HEIG-VD and Swisspod have completed the longest-ever vacuum capsule journey in Europe’s first operational Hyperloop test facility

The LIMITLESS (Linear Induction Motor Drive for Traction and Levitation in Sustainable Hyperloop Systems) project, carried out by EPFL, the School of Business and Engineering Vaud (HEIG-VD) and Swisspod Technologies, aims at creating a sustainable and efficient future transportation system based on light infrastructure. The consortium achieved a significant milestone, completing the full-scale equivalent of a 141.6 km hyperloop journey (11.8 km in reducedscale), and top speeds of up to 488.2 km/h (40.7 km/h in reduced scale) within a controlled low-pressure environment. Recently, the results were unveiled during the Hyperloop Day event at EPFL.

This record was conducted at the hyperloop testing facility located at EPFL. This cutting-edge structure, designed as a circular loop track supports the rapid prototyping and testing of different technologies required by the hyperloop. The infrastructure has a diameter of 40 centimeters and a circumference of 125.6 meters. It is a scaled-down version (1:12) of the hyperloop system described in the EPFL doctoral thesis of Denis Tudor, the CEO of Swisspod, allowing for a direct correlation between the test results and full-scale performance.

he success of the experiment holds significant implications for the high-speed transportation sector, demonstrating key principles of hyperloop technology and its viability for the future of sustainable and fast travel. Composed of two main elements, a fully-electric vehicle, and a low-pressure tube infrastructure, hyperloop has the potential to disrupt intra-continental travels, while being sustainable at the same time.

The scientists rely on a passive infrastructure, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced implementation costs. Therefore, most of the efforts are focused on developing a novel Linear Induction Motor (LIM), a key part of the hyperloop propulsion system, designed to deliver improved performance at high speeds. This topic is the subject of the PhD thesis of Simone Rametti at EPFL’s Distributed Electrical Systems Laboratory (DESL).

“The LIMITLESS project provides an understanding of several fundamental aspects related to the high-speed electromagnetic propulsion of hyperloop capsules. By leveraging this knowledge, we were able to integrate levitation and propulsion functionalities into a single motor with very high energy conversion efficiency,” explains Mario Paolone, professor at DESL.