Tata Steel and hyperloop developer TuTr are collaborating to scale up hyperloop technology. The two companies are focusing on challenges in design and materials of future hyperloop transport systems.

A proposed high-speed low cost transport system for passengers and cargo, hyperloops incorporate developments in tubes, pods, propulsion systems, and track. With autonomous, levitated pods travelling through a network of evacuated tubes, it promises 10x more energy-efficiency than road transport and aviation, uses 2-3x less space than rail and road, and shorter travel time than aviation.

Tata Steel has identified hyperloop as a breakthrough future mobility technology. Madras-based start-up TuTr, a spin-out of ITT Madras, is working on a low-cost hyperloop solution as its key value proposition. TuTr has particular expertise in pod and propulsion system design. Tata Steel and TuTr jointly aim to design, develop, and scale up the technology for commercialisation. The phase-I work will happen on the 50m test track at IIT Madras. The subsequent work to achieve a 10-km track will be completed in Phase II & III involving a consortium of other industry partners from the automotive, construction and engineering sectors.

Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee, Vice President, Technology & New Materials Business, Tata Steel, said: “We encourage and foster home-grown technologies and are committed to drive them towards commercial success. Globally, hyperloop holds huge potential for high-speed sustainable transportation of tomorrow. We believe that this disruptive mobility technology can achieve its stated objective through concerted efforts of TuTr Hyperloop and Tata Steel, leveraging their core capabilities. As a materials company committed to sustainable business, we will contribute to finding solutions to critical challenges in the Hyperloop journey by leveraging our R&D capabilities and the Tata ecosystem.”

R Balaji, Co-founder & CEO, TuTr Hyperloop said: “We are delighted to be working with Tata Steel on this breakthrough project. We are currently developing and testing various options to make hyperloop technology solution a global benchmark in terms of cost and efficiency. To meet this objective, we need to leverage the capabilities of global leaders like Tata Steel. Partnership with Tata Steel will enable us to solve materials and design related challenges and drive hyperloop to become a reality.”