Construction of the first Hyperloop line between Shanghai and Hangzhou is the most likely, Chinese engineering and railway researchers said recently. The 150km-long vacuum tunnel will allow maglev trains to travel at speeds of up to 1,000km/h. Relevant scientists stated in an article in "Railway Standard Design" that they selected the six demonstration lines with the most construction conditions for quantitative comparison and evaluation through research, and scientifically and objectively put forward suggestions for the priority construction of China's demonstration lines. Two wealthy cities on the eastern seaboard stand out.

It is understood that in 2013, American entrepreneur Elon Musk proposed the idea of an ultra-high-speed pipeline magnetic levitation system, that is, the Hyperloop. This transportation system uses vacuum-sealed tubes to transport passengers and cargo. China has taken the idea seriously because it has the potential to revolutionize transportation and provide a faster and more efficient way to transport passengers and goods. China is already a leader in high-speed rail technology, and investing in hyperloop technology could help it maintain its global leadership in transport innovation, the review team said.

Hawthorne, California, USA, SpaceX under the leadership of Musk opened the second hyperloop car design competition at its California headquarters in Hawthorne

China also has several candidate lines competing for the hyperloop project, including the Beijing-Shijiazhuang, Guangzhou-Shenzhen and Chengdu-Chongqing routes. Each has unique strengths, the assessment team said. The Beijing-Shijiazhuang line will connect the capital Beijing and Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, thereby connecting the two major cities in northern China and relieving the pressure on the existing traffic lines in the capital. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen Line will connect two important economic centers in the Pearl River Delta region and help the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Chengdu-Chongqing line will connect two major cities in western China, one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

The project evaluation team said they considered several key factors when studying hyperloop, including population density, economic activity and existing transport infrastructure, and they assessed the economic potential of each line. The article stated that the Shanghai-Hangzhou Hyperloop line is the most feasible and beneficial for China. The two cities involved in the line have high population density, active economic activities, and relatively flat terrain, which have high technical feasibility and are therefore considered to have strong economic potential. Such a project would also promote regional integration between Shanghai and Hangzhou, resulting in positive social impact.

In just 15 years, China has built enough high-speed rail to circle the earth. Some engineering experts say the experience could be used to speed up Hyperloop construction. However, the development of the technology required for a hyperloop system is still in its early stages, and many daunting technical challenges must be overcome before large-scale construction can take place. Editor/He Yuting