Hyperloop in Rotterdam in 2030

In 2050, we’ll live in a world where distance no longer matters. A world where everything is within reach. In which you travel from Rotterdam to Berlin in 1 hour and 40 minutes, with no stops in between. And all without CO2 emissions. The mission of the recently established Hardt Hyperloop in the Rotterdam Makers District is ambitious, but serious steps have already been taken. We spoke with Tim Houter, co-founder of Hardt Hyperloop and entrepreneur in Rotterdam Makers District.

The hyperloop

Hardt Hyperloop is making great strides. Since 2017, the start-up founded from TU Delft has been developing a hyperloop system for Europe. But what exactly is a hyperloop? Tim explains it clearly: “With the hyperloop, people and goods can be transported by a vacuum train in a low air pressure tube. The means of transport is magnetically powered. That way it provides lightning-fast and completely CO2-free transport. Eventually, the hyperloop will allow you to travel throughout Europe as if it were one big, interconnected region. In a fraction of the time and energy consumption it takes now.”

Freight transport

Not only would the hyperloop have great advantages for transporting people, but it also offers a solution to the growth in transportation that is coming. This is currently estimated at 2.5 times more freight transport by 2050. Initiatives like the hyperloop are desperately needed to meet this demand. This is also the opinion of Dirk Koppenol, Strategist at SmartPort, the knowledge hub in the port of Rotterdam: “This kind of radical innovator is crucial to the innovative power of the port of Rotterdam, both now and in the future. Parties like Hardt Hyperloop are an inspiration for the future.”

From idea to implementation

If it’s up to the ambitious Hardt Hyperloop, the hyperloop network should be all over Europe by 2050. The enormous amount of passion the company is putting into it will certainly not be lacking. In five years, the team grew from four founders to a company of almost fifty people. From an idea with which they want to change the world, to a technology that is proven to work and is being successfully tested. And all from the Rotterdam Makers District, which consists of the areas RDM Rotterdam and Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H). With a test facility in the Future Mobility Park in M4H and their own experience centre, the first real hyperloop is getting closer and closer. How did this adventure begin?

SpaceX pod competition

While studying at TU Delft, Tim was part of the Formula Student Team Delft, a team that designs and builds electric race cars. It was there that Tim got to know the other founders. “While we were competing in the race car competition, Elon Musk came up with his hyperloop idea. We at once said to each other: this could change the world. When the SpaceX pod competition was announced shortly thereafter, we knew we wanted to win this competition. Because of our experience building electric race cars, we were able to achieve high-quality technological results in a really short time. We won the competition and that was a wonderful boost for Hardt Hyperloop to start building further successes.”

Make it happen

And those successes have recently been built from Rotterdam, as Hardt Hyperloop has been based in the Rotterdam Makers District since the end of 2022. “We were looking for a place in the Delft region from which we could not only work, but also make it happen. With the slogan ‘Make it happen’, Rotterdam seemed a great fit for us. Just get to work and fix it. We felt the click. Additionally, we noticed a great willingness from Rotterdam to cooperate with us and make our initiative big here.”

Future Mobility Park

Another place where you can experience hyperloop technology is around the corner at the Future Mobility Park. Here there is a test rig about thirty meters long. “Thanks to the test rig, we can show the whole concept of the technology. This makes a massive impact because it allows us to show that the technology really works. And that with the hyperloop we are thus a lot further than just an idea here. It is of course super convenient that this is right around the corner. We also work together with Platform Zero. They are practically next door to our building. Together we want to put Rotterdam even more on the map for companies that play a key role in the energy transition.”

Diversity and interaction

This kind of collaboration between different parties in the Rotterdam Makers District is the strength of the area. Saskia Mureau of the Port of Rotterdam Authority also sees this. “The diversity and type of innovation within the Rotterdam Makers District is enormous. The ambition is extremely high and the interaction between the various organizations ensures that they really move forward. Hardt Hyperloop is an inspiring example in this. They show vision and guts. This also ties in very well with what we as a port want to project.”

The next step

What are those steps? If it’s up to Tim, we can try out the first real section of hyperloop in Rotterdam in 2030. Exactly where and how that will happen is still a surprise for now. “We have a lot of support from the Dutch government. The European Commission also pledged a large investment last year. We are getting support on increased levels. From local to regional and from national to global. The cooperation with the municipality of Rotterdam is an especially important one in this. Rotterdam can start the rollout. Everyone in the world who wants to see how the hyperloop works will come here to try it out. That’s how we put the Rotterdam Makers District on the map.”