The Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport (DMAT) has signed an agreement with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) to undertake a feasibility study to connect the capital city with the Al Ain region using the Hyperloop system.

HyperloopTT is one of the global leaders in providing innovative solutions to the transportation industry, and the company’s technology could have a significant impact on the future of transport in Abu Dhabi.

The study will include a multi-phase rollout that includes route analysis, feasibility studies, and a cost estimate and development schedule which will be determined over the next few months.

Once these analyses are successfully completed, both DMAT and HyperloopTT will discuss further steps. This project is the only initiative of its kind that has the support of the government of Abu Dhabi.

According to DMAT officials, the study will be useful for identifying locations for stations and tracks. The full environmental, economic and social benefits of this project will be realised once implemented.

The cost of this next-generation transportation technology — that is characterised by a high degree of safety and comfort — is estimated to be significantly less than traditional high-speed rail. The system will also be completed in half the time needed to achieve traditional high-speed rail projects, and will consume only a fraction of the energy.

The move comes in line with the Abu Dhabi government’s long-term vision and plan, said a top official.

"Through this agreement with HyperloopTT, we aim to study the feasibility of developing of the first Hyperloop system, which is one of the latest and most advanced transportation technologies that is expected to reach a top speed of 1,200 km per hour," remarked Khalid Mohamed Hashim, the acting executive director of Land Transport Sector at DMAT in Abu Dhabi.

"We hope to take advantage of this technology to connect the cities of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, which will result in a travel time of about eight to 12 minutes," he noted.

HyperloopTT has an agreement with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which grants the company an exclusive licence to use the laboratory’s passive magnetic levitation technology in the Hyperloop.
 
The Hyperloop technology is based on the Halbach Array - a pattern of magnets which produces its own electrical current and levitation for the Hyperloop capsules - the next generation of MagLev technology for safe and sustainable transport.

As one of the first companies in the world to develop the Hyperloop technology, the US group has secured its technology innovations and intellectual property with numerous patents - including trademarks granted in more than 33 countries.

The reinforcement of connectivity between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain is one of the strategic objectives of the UAE capital, aiming to stimulate economic, social and touristic development between Al Ain and its suburbs and the capital city, stated Hashim.

In addition to direct benefits, higher connectivity between the two largest cities in the emirate offers numerous indirect benefits, such as less reliance on private vehicles and traditional public transport modes, which means creating sustainable transport that can lessen the negative impact of transport related emissions in the emirate, he added.       

Bibop Gresta, the chairman and co-founder of HyperloopTT, said: "We are pleased to cooperate with DMAT to conduct a study on high-speed travel between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. By leveraging a global team of experts and professionals, we are working to achieve a technical breakthrough in the field of transportation in Abu Dhabi."

"Our team’s collaborative efforts from our offices in the UAE and around the world are focused on delivering humanised mobility through the development of the world’s fastest, safest and most energy-efficient transportation solution," stated Gresta.

“We see in this agreement a significant opportunity that will allow us to bring to life our vision of providing valuable solutions with a positive impact on safe, rapid and effective transportation. It will result in providing a sustainable solution – reducing the carbon footprint while enriching the lives of people in various communities here in Abu Dhabi," he added.-TradeArabia News Service