This Canadian Startup Has Revealed Plans To Build A Hyperloop-Style Vacuum Train That Can Shuttle Passengers At 621mph

A Canadian startup has revealed a hyperloop-style vacuum train billed as a ‘plane without wings’ that can shuttle passengers around at 621mph (1,000 km/h).

The fully electric ‘FluxJet’ is a hybrid between an aircraft and a train and will have the ability for 54 passengers and 10 tons of cargo.

Its design is based on a new field of physics that the company calls ‘veillance flux’ and comprises a ‘contactless power transmission’.

The vision is like Virgin’s Hyperloop network of 600 mph pods that are scheduled to roll out in 2030, based on a system proposed by Elon Musk.

TransPod is the firm behind the project, says the FluxJet and it will travel along its dedicated tube system across Canada known as the TransPod line.

The line will have stations in key locations and major cities.

TransPod recently received $550 million (£468 million) in financing and has already started preliminary construction on a tube that’ll transport people from Calgary to Edmonton in 45 minutes.

The FluxJet ride will reportedly cost about 44 percent less than a plane ticket and reduce CO2 emissions by about 636,000 tons per year.

‘This milestone is a major leap forward,’ says Ryan Janzen, co-founder and CTO at TransPod.

‘The FluxJet is at a nexus of scientific research, industrial development, and massive infrastructure to address passengers’ needs and reduce our dependence on fossil-fuel-heavy jets and highways.’

At the event, a scaled-down prototype was featured in a live demonstration showing its flight capabilities.

The almost 1-tonne vacuum train engaged in take-off, travel, and landing procedures within its guideway.

The vehicle also comes with aerodynamic and propulsion systems explicitly designed to reduce friction.

Also, this design enables the magnetically levitated pods to travel faster than trains, cars, and jets. 

‘All the hard work over the past few years has led to this milestone moment where talk is becoming a reality,’ TransPod’s co-founder and CEO Sebastien Gendron said.

‘The technology is proven, and we have the confidence of investors, governments, and partners to continue pushing forward to redefine transportation effectively.’

Janzen added: ‘The FluxJet is a first for Canadian innovation and is the next great infrastructure project to be brought worldwide.

‘The TransPod Line is being developed in collaboration with our partners in Europe, USA, and beyond, including universities, research centers, the aerospace industry, architecture, railway, and construction partners.’