Team Mobius from France won first prize at Dubai’s International Hyperloop Competition, which saw six teams compete to design a prototype for a hyperloop train that can reduce travel time between Dubai and Fujairah to 10 minutes.

The six finalists were chosen from a pool of 250 entries from 29 countries around the world. The competition, organised by Dubai Future Foundation, attracted attention from regional and international media, one million views for the hashtag, and 130,000 interactions on Twitter.

Mobius was ranked first among the finalists after the panel evaluated the projects from several perspectives, including their technical and economic aspects, as well as their actual ability to reinvent the high-speed transportation sector for passengers and cargo alike. The panel also evaluated the degree of safety and security that the projects provide, as well their efficiency and sustainability, said a statement.

In the finals stage, the qualifying teams presented their innovative designs before the judging panel; each design had to lay plans for parallel hyperloop transportation systems – one for passengers, and another for cargo – that would eventually converge into one station at the finish line. Projects also had to include stations complete with spacious halls for passengers to board the trains.

A panel of expert judges had chosen 65 teams to compete in the semi-finals at a previous stage. The panel includes specialists from the world’s largest information technology companies, as well as representatives from local and international government entities taking part in the competition, and representatives of government and private-sector institutions in Dubai and the UAE, the US, and the UK.

Saif Al Aleeli, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said: “Announcing the first-place winner of the Hyperloop Competition is a milestone that makes evident our resolve to move forward with our plans to build the future today. The winning project was chosen by a highly qualified panel of experts and specialists in engineering and technology; it is one of the most innovative plans to build an integrated high-speed hyperloop transportation system that can travel from Dubai to Fujairah in a mere 10 minutes.”

He added: “The first edition of Dubai’s International Hyperloop Competition has accomplished a great deal of success and commanded global attention. The contest attracted commendable international participation in a record period of time. This drive to participate in the challenge reflects Dubai’s positive international image as a world-leading platform to implement the planet’s most advanced technologies.”

Mobius is a professional team from international French engineering and consulting group Systra, which specialises in rail and public transport. Mobius has participated in similar competitions in France, the US, and Ukraine.  - TradeArabia News Service