Hyperloop in Central Europe

While looking into Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, it came to our attention that last May the company announced that a “base technology” for its system--which will have a capsule containing people that will be propelled through a pylon mounted tube--is “Vibranium,” which it describes as a “smart material specifically developed for the Hyperloop application.”

We thought that it was a material that was specifically developed for the Marvel Universe, though we may be wrong. (For an interesting look at vibranium vs. adamantium, we’d like to call your attention to a piece that appeared in Machine Design last year, as well, which you can see here.)

But the Hyperloop Vibranium was created with help from a company with carbon-fiber composite capability, C2i of Slovakia. The material is described as being “made of sensor-embedded carbon fiber” that’s “eight times stronger than aluminum and 10 times stronger than steel.” What’s more, it weighs “roughly five times less than steel and 1.5 times less than aluminum.”

Perhaps they know something about the prospects of traveling in a tube at up to 760 mph in central Europe because last week Hyperloop announced that it signed an exploratory agreement with the city of Brno, Czech Republic, on the possibility of connecting it with Bratislava, Slovakia, with which it also has a development agreement.

Turns out that Bratislava is about an hour northwest of Dunajska Streda, Slovakia, where C2i is based. That’s an hour by car, not Hyperloop capsule.

Will the Hyperloop take form—as in physical, real, rideable form?

According to Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, “Since we have solved all the technical issues, it is now crucial for us to collaborate with governments around the world.”

All of the technical issues?