Virgin’s Hyperloop One company has signed a deal with the government of Saudi Arabia to build a test track for its futuristic transport concept.
A 35km track will be built, alongside a research and development facility and manufacturing plant, north of Jeddah. The hyperloop concept involves a pressurised pod with a vehicle carrying passengers or cargo up to 10 times faster than current rail.
Virgin Hyperloop One said the technology could reduce a journey from Riyadh to Jeddah to 76 minutes, compared with more than 10 hours currently.
Hyperloop technology relies on depressurised tubes carrying passenger or cargoes in pods at speeds of up to 1,080 kilometres per hour, nearly three times faster than a conventional high-speed rail.
Virgin Hyperloop’s interest in installing its technology in Saudi Arabia is a result of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts to bring the company into the fold of Vision 2030.