India is bringing the Hyperloop to life!
India is building the world's first commercial hyperloop network! This project is a partnership between IIT Madras and a startup called TuTr Hyperloop.
The Indian government has approved a test track of 40 kilometers between Mumbai and Pune. Last year, they finished a small 410-metre-long track at IIT Madras.
Today, a train takes 4 hours to go from Mumbai to Pune. But a hyperloop can do it in just 25 minutes! If it works well, more hyperloops could be built in India.
What is the Hyperloop?
Elon Musk talked about the hyperloop in 2012. It is like a mix of a train and a plane. The hyperloop moves very fast (up to 1100 kmph) inside a special tube without air.
The hyperloop does not have big train coaches. It uses small pods, and each pod can carry 24-28 people.
How do Hyperloop pods move?
Hyperloop pods do not need fuel like petrol or diesel. They move using magnets and electricity.
Magnets under the pods lift them in the air. Electricity pushes them forward. Because the pods do not touch the ground, they move very fast and smoothly.
How is the Hyperloop different from Maglev trains?
Maglev trains also float using magnets, but they travel outside like normal trains.
Maglev trains in Japan and China can go up to 431 mph. Hyperloops are faster but may make people feel dizzy. Also, you cannot walk inside a hyperloop pod because of its speed.
Maglev trains are expensive to build. Hyperloops cost even more money and need special care.
Advantages of the Hyperloop!
The hyperloop is very fast and good for the environment. It uses electricity and solar energy. It is also safe from bad weather because it travels inside a tube.
If the Mumbai-Pune hyperloop works well, it could change how people travel in India and the world!
