European Hyperloop Week

Last updated
European Hyperloop Week
Logo European Hyperloop Week.png
NicknameEHW, Hyperloop Week
StatusActive
GenreHyperloop, Technology, Innovation, Research, Competition
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Varies
Country Netherlands, Scotland, Spain or Switzerland
Years active4+ years
Most recentZurich 2024
Previous eventEdinburgh 2023
Next eventGroningen 2025
Participants~450
Attendance~1100-1500 (2022)
ActivityCompetitions, Conferences, Workshops, Exhibitions
Organized byDelft Hyperloop, HYPED, Hyperloop UPV and Swissloop
Website European Hyperloop Week

The European Hyperloop Week (EHW) is the largest annual hyperloop-centered community event in the world dedicated to the development and innovation of hyperloop technology. The event features a combination of activities, including competitions, conferences, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and social gatherings. It aims to foster collaboration between students, academia, industry, and governments to accelerate the advancement of hyperloop systems and its full-scale implementation. [1]

Contents

History

Following the cancellation of SpaceX's Hyperloop pod competition in 2020, teams around the world were eager to continue innovating and competing but lacked a platform to showcase their work. In response, four European student teams—Delft Hyperloop, HYPED, Hyperloop UPV, and Swissloop—joined forces to create their own competition: the European Hyperloop Week (EHW). EHW was established to provide a platform for the hyperloop community to come together to compete, innovate, network, and share knowledge. [2]

The event has grown in prominence and participation since its inception, attracting student teams, industry experts, and companies from around the world. The spirit of the event is described by their slogan: Fostering Innovation Through Collaboration. [3]

Overview of European Hyperloop Week Editions
EditionYearHost CountryCityDateMain partner(s)
1st2021Flag of Spain.svg Spain Valencia and Cheste July 19–25, 2021 Universitat Politècnica de València and Circuit Ricardo Tormo [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
2nd2022Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Delft and Hilversum July 18–24, 2022 TU Delft and Voestalpine [9] [10]
3rd2023Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland Edinburgh July 17–23, 2023 University of Edinburgh [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]
4th2024Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Zurich and Dübendorf July 15–21, 2024 ETH Zurich and Swiss Innovation Park Zurich [17] [18] [19]
5th2025Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Groningen and Veendam July 14–20, 2025 Hardt Hyperloop and European Hyperloop Center [20] [21] [22]
Map of countries of participating student teams (2023) Map-ehw-participants.png
Map of countries of participating student teams (2023)

Activities

Conference

EHW hosts a series of presentations, panel discussions, and workshops led by students, industry experts, researchers, and academics. These sessions cover a wide range of topics related to hyperloop technology, infrastructure, regulation, and sustainability. They form a platform for open-source research and networking.[ citation needed ]

Competition

One of the main attractions of EHW is the hyperloop pod competition, where student teams from universities globally design, build, and test their hyperloop pods. These competitions include three main categories as of 2024: Complete System Demonstration, Promising Subsystem Demonstration and Research Submission. The goal is to push the boundaries of current hyperloop technology and full-scale implementation, and inspire the next generation of engineers and innovators. [23]

Hyperloop UPV Pod Demonstration during the 2022 European Hyperloop Week in the Netherlands Hyperloop UPV Pod Demonstration European Hyperloop Week 2022.jpg
Hyperloop UPV Pod Demonstration during the 2022 European Hyperloop Week in the Netherlands

Student teams are evaluated by a technical jury consisting of industry experts, academics and former student team members.

Public events

The event serves on one hand as a networking hub for students, professionals and companies. It offers participants the chance to connect with potential employers, partners, and investors. On the other hand, the platform generates awareness about the hyperloop concept amongst the general public. This networking aspect is crucial for fostering collaborations and driving future projects in the hyperloop industry and in adjacent industries such as railway, electronics, pneumatics and other fields of engineering.

EHW includes exhibitions where companies and organizations involved in the hyperloop ecosystem showcase their latest technologies, products, and services. These exhibitions provide a glimpse into the cutting-edge advancements and innovations in the field. [24]

Online

The European Hyperloop Week hosts the largest knowledge hub of hyperloop-related research papers, and annually collects and publishes student team submissions for open-source access on their website. They have also organized and promoted online seminars on hyperloop-related topics. [25]

Organization

The European Hyperloop Week, based in Zurich, Switzerland, is a non-profit organization run entirely by student volunteers. While leadership is primarily drawn from the founding teams, it also includes members from various other student teams. The event is funded and supported through sponsorships, partnerships with companies and institutions, and contributions from participating teams. [26]

The team of student volunteers organizing the second edition of the European Hyperloop Week in 2022 Organising Team European Hyperloop Week 2022.jpg
The team of student volunteers organizing the second edition of the European Hyperloop Week in 2022

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delft</span> City and municipality in South Holland, Netherlands

Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, and The Hague, to the northwest. Together with them, it is a part of both the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area and the Randstad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Twente</span> University in The Netherlands

The University of Twente is a public technical university located in Enschede, Netherlands. The university has been placed in the top 170 universities in the world by multiple central ranking tables. In addition, the UT was ranked the best technical university in The Netherlands by Keuzegids Universiteiten, the most significant national university ranking. The UT collaborates with Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology and the Wageningen University and Research Centre under the umbrella of 4TU and is also a partner in the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delft University of Technology</span> Dutch university

The Delft University of Technology is the oldest and largest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, The Netherlands. It specializes in engineering, technology, computing, design, and natural sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ETH Zurich</span> Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical University of Munich</span> Public research university in Munich, Germany

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperloop</span> Proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation

Hyperloop is a proposed high-speed transportation system for both passengers and freight. The concept behind the Hyperloop originated in the late 17th century with the invention of the world's first artificial vacuum, which led to designs for underground rapid transit systems powered by pneumatics in the decades that followed. In 1799, inventor George Medhurst proposed the idea to move goods through cast-iron pipes using air pressure and In 1844 built a railway station in London that relied on pneumatics until 1847. In 2013, entrepreneur Elon Musk published a white paper, where the hyperloop was described as a transportation system using capsules supported by an air-bearing surface within a low-pressure tube. Hyperloop systems have three essential elements: tubes, pods, and terminals. The tube is a large, sealed low-pressure system. The pod is a coach at atmospheric pressure that experiences low air resistance or friction inside the tube using magnetic propulsion. The terminal handles pod arrivals and departures. The hyperloop, in the form proposed by Musk, differs from traditional vactrains by relying on residual air pressure inside the tube to provide lift from aerofoils and propulsion by fans; however, many subsequent variants using the name "hyperloop" have remained relatively close to the core principles of vactrains.

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