HyperloopTT proves economic and environmental benefit again with feasibility study in Southern Brazil

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has announced the completion of a feasibility study in Southern Brazil in conjunction with the State Government of Rio Grande do Sul, and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).  

The study analysed the implementation of a passenger and cargo hyperloop system connecting Porto Alegre to Caxias do Sul, with stops in Novo Hamburgo and Gramado. The study projects that a hyperloop system along the route will reduce transportation operating costs between the two cities by $435 million over 30 years. 

The feasibility study analysed the first 30 years of operations, including an estimated 5-year construction and implementation period. The 137 km journey will be reduced from over two hours to under 20 minutes and achieve a maximum speed of 835 km/h with the region’s mountainous terrain.

Key findings of implementing a HyperloopTT system include:

• The creation of 50,000 direct jobs in the construction sector during the construction period.
• A reduction of road accidents by approximately 2,000
• Energy generation exceeding 3.6 times more than the system consumes in operation
• An expected $5 billion appreciation of land and properties surrounding the stations within six years, generating additional non-operating gains of $3.4 billion, a vital component of the development’s revenue.
• a route that minimizes environmental impact and will reduce CO2 emissions by 95 million tons over a 30 years.
• A total cost of implementing and operating the system over the next 30 years, is projected to be US$7.71 billion
• The system will begin generating profit in 14 years, without government subsidies

“Can you imagine working in Caxias do Sul, being able to have lunch in Porto Alegre and be able to get back to work in time? Or get to know the main sights of Porto Alegre and Gramado on the same day? These are just some of the many possibilities that hyperloop can bring to the region. The feasibility study results are very encouraging, with a reduction in operating costs, a financial return in record time for a mode of transport, and a huge impact on job creation and local tourism. We hope to engage entities linked to the logistics area, route operators, and governments to take the next big step towards innovation and sustainable development in the country,” said the Director of HyperloopTT for Latin America, Ricardo Penzin.

“Hyperloop is one of the technologies with potential disruptive impact on the transport sector and which requires training of people, a chain of specialized suppliers and constant technological evolution. It is not just the implementation of a modern transport line that can improve logistics and transport, it is much more than that. The feasibility analysis of researchers from Rio Grande do Sul shows that economic potentials can be developed from this system, taking into account the advancement of knowledge, sustainability and the demands of society in Rio Grande do Sul”, said Secretary of Innovation, Science and Technology for the State of Rio Grande Sul, Luís Lamb.

“HyperloopTT's design breaks traditional concepts and brings innovations both in terms of infrastructure and in terms of the operation of a transport system. This required the articulation of various types of knowledge and teamwork by professionals in areas such as energy, load demand forecast, route study, among others, at the University. We feel that all our efforts were rewarded with the launch of this solid and promising study,” said Dr. Christine Tessele Nodari, project coordinator for the Transport Systems Laboratory at UFRGS.

“The great differential of this project is the environmental dimension and the ecological footprint with the use of clean and renewable energy. The study itself is comprehensive, as it incorporates analyses under different aspects and areas of knowledge, at the same time it is profound, as it goes into details so that a conclusion can be reached on the technical, economic, and financial feasibility of the project. This is a global initiative that will definitely change the mobility patterns in the world”, said the PhD. Luiz Afonso Senna, project coordinator by the Laboratory of UFRGS Transport Systems.