The European Hyperloop Center (EHC) will be built in the province of Groningen. With this, Groningen has won the exciting neck-and-neck race for the construction of the test center of the province of Zeeland. Both provinces were the last ones left in the battle to bring in this project.
An important part of this hyperloop center is the high-speed test track of 3 kilometers. This makes the center the first facility in Europe where the revolutionary hyperloop transport system can be tested at high speed. The EHC also has a Learning Center that will work on European standardization, safety standards and the passenger travel experience.
The EHC is open to all hyperloop organizations in the world. This promotes mutual cooperation and thus accelerates the development of the hyperloop. The EHC is expected to become the European center of the hyperloop.
Construction of the EHC will start in 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2022. Tests conducted in the EHC will show whether the hyperloop is a realistic alternative to short haul flights. The hyperloop does not emit any CO2 and can therefore offer a sustainable solution for the worldwide growth of passenger and freight flows.
Groningen welcomes hyperloop test center
“We are happy and proud that the EHC is coming to Groningen. The arrival of the EHC fits in seamlessly with our ambitions in innovation and sustainability. In Groningen, companies, knowledge institutes and governments work closely together on the development of smart and green mobility. ”, Said Mirjan Wulfse, deputy for the province of Groningen.
The hyperloop test track is a wonderful addition to this. The EHC will put Groningen on the international map as a testing ground for smart and green transport. In addition, it also creates more employment in the region.
This optimism is supported by the conclusions of a recent impact analysis carried out by the Berenschot consultancy. The analysis states that the EHC creates an attractive business climate for innovative technology companies. This creates a European knowledge center that not only generates employment and income, but also contributes to the progressive image of the entire region.
The assessment committee states that both Groningen and Zeeland have submitted a very strong proposal. The choice was made on the basis of planning and constructional criteria, the regional ecosystem of partnerships and a financing package. In the end, Groningen emerged as the winner.
Test facility for all hyperloop developers
The Dutch Hardt Hyperloop is a leading hyperloop company worldwide and is the initiator of the EHC. Hardt aims to involve as many parties as possible with knowledge in a specific part in the development of the hyperloop. Early partners include Royal BAM Group, Tata Steel Europe and Royal IHC.
Tim Houter, CEO of Hardt Hyperloop:
“The open ecosystem of knowledge sharing with multiple private and public parties is very important to us. You do not implement such a large project alone. There is an enormous amount of knowledge and drive within Europe. We are bringing them together with the EHC to develop a single European system. ”
Sustainable alternative to the aircraft
The hyperloop is a promising technology for the transport of people and goods. The vehicles move in a pipe system by means of a fully electromagnetic drive system. The low-pressure pipes provide the ideal conditions so that the vehicles are protected against wind and weather and can move very energy-efficiently.
Traveling with the hyperloop is CO2 neutral and also very fast. From Amsterdam you can travel to Eindhoven in just 15 minutes with the hyperloop and you can be in Frankfurt in 50 minutes. Since the hyperloop can transport twice as many people as the current high-speed train, this technology offers a sustainable solution for the exponentially growing passenger and freight flows.
There are dozens of companies worldwide that focus on hyperloop technology. Hardt Hyperloop is one of the forerunners worldwide. In 2017, the company won the international hyperloop competition organized by Elon Musk. Hardt Hyperloop is the only party in the world with a technology that makes it possible to turn vehicles off without physical change. This makes it possible, unlike for trains, to create a network in which vehicles without a stopover can travel directly from the start to the end station.
Hardt Hyperloop can look back on a pleasant cooperation with the participating regions and expresses its appreciation for their efforts. In the coming months, the parties involved and the Ministries of Infrastructure & Water Management and Economic Affairs & Climate will meet to discuss whether the development of the hyperloop can be accelerated with a public-private partnership.
This announcement follows the announcement on December 3 when it was announced that Zeeland and Groningen were the last provinces to remain in the race as a location for the EHC.
