A study of the European Commission highlights that the European hyperloop could soon move from prototyping to demonstration.
The European Commission presented a new fact-finding study assessing the current state of the European hyperloop sector and exploring possible avenues for EU support. The study findings will feed into the Commission’s upcoming strategy for the promotion and development of cutting-edge technologies such as hyperloop.
The study highlights that hyperloop is maturing quickly and could soon move from prototyping to demonstration. Its potential to contribute to decarbonisation, digitalisation, regional cohesion and industrial renewal makes it strategically relevant for the EU. At the same time, the European hyperloop also faces challenges such as uncertain business cases, high capital costs, and regulatory fragmentation.
“The study shows that hyperloop technology could play a role in how Europe moves people and goods in the future. As we work towards a more connected and competitive Union, the EU will continue to support technologies like hyperloop that contribute to industrial innovation, regional cohesion and sustainability,” Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism said.
As hyperloop is an emerging technology, cost estimates remain theoretical and subject to continuous revision. Capital expenditure estimates from different hyperloop promoters for a hyperloop 700/km greenfield investment starts from EUR 33.9 million per kilometre with the highest CAPEX of EUR 36.9 million per kilometre.
Following a workshop, an independent industry expert stated that, in a European context, an average capital per route km of less the EUR 20 million per kilometre is a realistic target for hyperloop.
Based on many analysis, and by aligning the costs with the different scenarios, the total costs are estimated to range between EUR 23 billion and EUR 808 billion at EU-level.
The European Commission supports hyperloop development by enabling innovation, experimentation, and long-term coherence across national and regional systems. Through the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, the EU co-funds the Hyper4rail project, which focuses on deepening technical harmonisation and interoperability of different hyperloop solutions. An additional pilot project is planned to develop common safety requirements.
The study suggests that further advancement can be made, for instance, by facilitating a regulatory environment for testing, and by aligning with long-term objectives of the TEN-T network. This could include identifying potential gaps where hyperloop could address unmet transport needs, and the use of public-private partnerships to mobilise private capital for large-scale implementation and operational management of infrastructure.
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