FluxJet trains will travel in vacuum tubes at a speed of 1,000 km/h

Canada-based startup TransPod is developing a potential competitor to Elon Musk's Hyperloop vacuum trains.

The FluxJet is a train/jet hybrid capable of carrying up to 54 passengers at speeds of over 1,000 km/h (621 mph), three times faster than high-speed trains. Toronto-based TransPod is designing this transportation system in collaboration with other institutions and international partners.

TransPod plans to build a revolutionary network system called the TransPod Line between the cities of Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. The authors of the project say that it is different from other vacuum tube train projects because it is based on a "smart infrastructure" that significantly reduces operating and maintenance costs.

Thanks to the new technology, TransPod plans to make its transportation 44% cheaper than flying by plane and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 600,000 tons per year. At the same time, passengers will be able to get to their destination much faster than now, since TransPod Line trains will depart every two minutes.

At a recent presentation in Toronto, TransPod introduced a smaller version of the FluxJet tube with a shipping module. In the next phase, the company will focus on dynamic testing and certification. If all goes well, construction of the future intercity line should begin by 2027.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $18 billion. So far, the development company has been able to attract an investment of $550 million.

Source: Autoevolution