Hyperloop: what about the margins?

Would you like to travel from Tilburg to Amsterdam in just 12 minutes? Or go on a vacation to Spain in 1,5 hours? How? The new revolutionary concept of Hyperloop can make your traveling experience reach a whole different level. Here and now. In what way? That's what this article is about.

Technical innovations are the drivers of globalization. So-called “low cost” train, bus and airline companies allow relatively cheap traveling to a growing number of places. Despite this, they are still not affordable for some. Unequal access is connected both to the lack of resources and the dismissal of margins on the international level of transportation. In this article, I am going to focus on technical progress of Hyperloop One, as well as on its potential to change the growing inequality and influence the world's margins and capitals.

A new concept: Hyperloop One

Whenever we hear the word “traveling”, nice views of sceneries and long hours of waiting, appear in mind. This can all change rapidly. Intensified flows and movements worldwide have been transforming our world and society for decades. Big companies are now in a race for primacy in technological progress, which is apt to simplify and fasten a number of cultural, economical, political flows and networks. Indeed, what we are observing now, is the result of an ongoing growth, unstoppable movement and development of the world’s systems under conditions of globalization.

There is a new concept now in the world of travel, which is ambitious enough to state that big changes are on their way. Namely, Hyperloop One, developed by Elon Musk, Shervin Pishevar and their team, starting from the year 2013. The new technology is basically expected to change the speed and the simplicity level of traveling. It is sometimes called “international metro”, since it has some visual similarities and is aimed to connect different parts of the world in one broad tube system.

. It cannot, though, be said that they develop equally.  Globalization, unequal movements worldwide, Hyperloop and the changes that it may or might not bring into our lives- these are the key topics I am going to draw your attention on.

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One of the key factors that keep changing with the time, is the intensity of the process of globalization.

The new technological development, Hyperloop, might indeed serve as a vivid example of the present stage of globalization, which is specific, but not unique, and it extends, intensifies, deepens pre-existing stage. Constant movement and migration are not unique processes of our time. Before, it took months to get to the certain point on the map, e.g. for the purpose of conquering, or trade. Nowadays, not only the motives of traveling have undergone various changes, but also the international transportation system has developed massively.  "There are many simultaneous reasons for the increased net inflows. One set of [contemporary] reasons surround... [country’s] high economic performance... coupled with growing inequalities in many developing and middle-income countries (Hatton 2003)." (Vertovec, 2006, p. 5). However, one of the key factors that keep changing with the time, is the intensity of the process. 

Hyperloop One has an, unseen before, speed of 1100 km/h, which is given to the technology by the electrically working motor. The movement stimulation is also caused by the magnet routes within the massive depressurized tube system. One of the goals of the company is to make this new machinery eco-friendly - it is expected, that Hyperloop One is going to use wind, as well as solar energy to keep its optimal working regime. Hyperloop One’s tunnels material is a high quality steel, which is aimed to keep the technology safe from the unpredictable outside- world factors. The creators claim, that the experience of usage is going to be maximally comfortable and safe for the clients.

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"Hyperloop is the first new major mode of transportation in 100 years." (hyperloop-one.com)

The new concept has already been successfully tested in Nevada desert, and is expected to start its work in 2021 in United States of America. However, other countries have also shown their interest and support of Hyperloop One, among them: United Kingdom, Canada, India, United Arab Emirates, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Mexico and others. The company, though, has an ambitious vision of connecting different continents together. The project effectively attracts wealthy international investors, as many see the future technology useful in the contemporary world. Hyperloop One has an overall money flow of around 200 million US Dollars. Among them, more than a half was cash money from investors. Richard Branson and his Virgin Group have made the biggest investment so far. Thereby, Hyperloop One will soon undergo the rebranding procedure into “Virgin Hyperloop One”.

The ideology of this new technological concept is quite promising. The product claims it will cause an, unseen before, shift in the traveling experience. Hyperloop One’s slogan is: "Be anywhere. Move anything. Connect everyone." They say, there has been no proper technological switch, and a brand new kind of transport, that would apply to the needs of contemporary society, in around a century. “Hyperloop is the first new major mode of transportation in 100 years. It’s designed to be safe, energy efficient, and reliable. It will take you directly to your destination at speeds of up to 700 mph, above land or underground.” --The website prominently states, as well as: “On the 6th of June, 2017, Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and the Environment, Melanie Schultz van Haegen states that "in the next ten years, we will see more changes in mobility than in the last 100 years."" (Hyperloop-one, 2016). But are the loud slogans of marketing department, used in promotion and advertisement of the company, really reflecting the truth? Are they going to allow people move anywhere? Or can they connect everyone?

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It is fair to say, that the company is quite confident in their new concept. The developers state, their goal is to build the first Hyperloop net by 2021 in US. The nets in other countries and continents will take much longer. "Such movements do not occur in a random fashion, they are structured and conditioned, and the major condition for globalization processes is the availability and accessibility of infrastructures for globalization." (Wang et al., 2013, p. 29) Until now, they mostly focused on the maps of the roads in so-called world capitals. If we take a look at the plans of these maps, we can conclude, that the company has prioritized certain destinations. 

Hyperloop One will first appear in so-called “First- World” Western and Middle East countries.

So far, Hyperloop One actively works on its nets in United States (the most,  up to the time I am writing this article), Canada, UAE and Western Europe, connecting the biggest of their cities. Such "cities, consequently, are social, cultural and political laboratories where innovations appear if not first, then surely most overtly and visibly" (Wang et al., 2013, p. 26-27). This says something about the further development of the roads, as they are most likely going to pursue the goal of connecting them to each other. This is a complex overlapping between investments, county’s infrastructure and potential profit, but the concepts of the roads so far do not include world’s margins. It will definitely first appear in so-called “First- World” Western and Middle East countries, before entering the stages of other (less developed economically) countries.

Anyways, on the other hand we have "Focusing on infrastructures in the study of globalization..., invites considerations of old and new forms of inequality between centers and peripheries, a relatively enduring aspect of the continuously changing world system. It also leads us to a precise identification of the margins: they are characterized by unequal access to infrastructures of globalization; thus, naturally, they can be located in cities as well as in the rural areas." (Wang et al. 2013, p. 29-30). margins, access to which is not usually a priority for major economic investments and different kind of world flows (economical, cultural, etc.). “The margins of the world did not appear just like that: they have histories, presents and futures. Interscale mobility is part of the presents and futures; it is vital that we manage to be specific and precise in understanding which futures it might offer.” (Wang et al., 2013, p. 38). Of course, this inequality of priorities has its own development throughout the years.

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"Cities, wherever they are, are dense concentrations of resources: of populations and of their infrastructures. Such infrastructures include governmental, administrative-bureaucratic services; economic and financial centers; layered labor, housing and commodity markets; centers of knowledge and learning such as schools and universities; hospitals, sports, culture and leisure facilities." (Wang et al., 2013, p. 26). However, it is usually not that profitable to build a great transportation system in margins, or at least not as profitable as in cultural, economical, business capitals. The question here is: will the technology of Hyperloop's make the first step into meeting the margins of the world? And will the transportation be spread equally?

They still have a potential to grow into something bigger.

Partly, perhaps, partly. But we should not put too many expectations on it. "The distribution of such infrastructures is not necessarily democratically organized, and peripheral areas can be characterized by partial access to specific infrastructures for globalization, differing by degree from the overwhelming concentration of such infrastructures in global cities." (Wang et al., 2013, p. 29). However, India and Mexico are also on the company’s shortlist with their roads, namely in Bengaluru-Chennai, Mumbai-Chennai and Mexico City-Guadalajara. "The effects of such partial access are specific forms of practice holding a hierarchical – inferior – position relative to what happens in more central parts." (Wang et al., p. 29). Note, that even though the company attempts to reach the market of less economically developed countries, they still choose cities of 1+ million inhabitants and higher money flow than in peripheries.

Of course, there is a number of objective reasons why starting the building of such a massive net is better from the capitals. They still have a potential to grow into something bigger, but some also might just stop on where they are, giving an access to the technology further, only with a significant amount of time. Essentially, one of the reasons to that is the fact that nowadays money flow concentrates mostly in the capitals and well developed cities, which I mentioned in previous paragraph.

Fig 1. A roadmap which shows some locations of Banksy's artworks all over the world. Oliviera, André, 2016. Reprinted from public.tableau.com.

Hyperloop is presented as quite a luxurious way of transportation. We can state that this kind of transport is going to serve mostly for fast business and political meetings, at least, in closest times. This will, certainly, (together with the development expenses) stimulate its price, as remarkably above average, on the market (most certainly more expensive than any other kind of transport) and only affordable to a small percentage of people. Let's say, people from the peripheries, with a lower income than in capitals, would choose another kind of traveling. Thus, not only Hyperloop One raises doubts about reaching the margins of Earth (yet), but also will it probably not be affordable for many.

The trip from Amsterdam to Barcelona would take us just 1 hrs 28 min by Hyperloop One.

Even if this concept is not going to have an open access for many, in a territorial, or financial way, it does not mean that it will not be a game changer in the sphere. Hyperloop will certainly influence the prices of other ways of transport. Traveling by plane, the fastest and the most comfortable concept by now, is predicted to be less expensive. The same goes for the ships, buses and trains, which can affect the increased intensity of the movements worldwide. It can also cause the concurrence and broaden the reach of several transportation systems, into including less economically and culturally developed areas. 

An interesting fact is, that traveling with others ways of transportation will still be a big part of our lives, as simpler, cheaper and, sometimes, just as fast, even after Hyperloop One's launch. However, even though the trip from Amsterdam to Barcelona would take us 1 hrs 28 min by Hyperloop instead of, almost three times longer- 4 hrs 30 min by plane, or 14 hrs 50 min by carit is not as effective on average. rip from Amsterdam to Thailand by plane will take just 3 hours longer, then by "international metro". Also, if you would like to use new technology, for once, for traveling from Tilburg to Breda, it will take 7 minutes by Hyperloop, while only two times longer by car. In all of the cases, the ride by Hyperloop would be more pricy.

Fig 2. One of Banksy's artworks created in response to the Climate Conference called "I don't believe in global warming", which appeared in London in 2009. Zak Hussein/PA. Reprinted from The Guardian website.

What about the margins?

In any case, the goal of the company (according to its slogans, management, etc.) is to make traveling easier, but will it influence a citizen of non-western country with an average monthly income? The answer is “no”, but it has a potential to do so with the time. Every new means of transport, before getting to the everyday-use level, has undergone the stage of “elites only”.

Will it be spread to the margins? The answer again is “no”, but India and Mexico have shown their interest in a prominent new technology, and more countries are expected to follow up.   In this case it is only up to the developers, if they would like to really follow their slogans and “connect everyone” or to stay out of it as quite a closed system. The same goes for the ticket prices - to keep them quite high, or relatively affordable for the tourists “on budget”. Thus, the answer to that can be only fully judged quite far in the future. 

Though, up to this time, as we can see above, the concept does not give us much confidence of being different from any other big plane/ train/ bus transportation net- it concentrates on world capitals and presents itself as elite business class kind of experience. So far, unfortunately, the fast growing superdiversity rises the level of inequality and the disturbing lack of access by some of the world’s citizens. Hyperloop is not expected to make this inequality disappear ( at least not at first), but it might start the "chain reaction" - the number of processes to slightly improve the situation.

References:

1. Hyperloop- One. (2016). Hyperloop-one/our-story. Retrieved on November 1, 2017. 

Vertovec, S. (2006). The emergence of super-diversity in Britain. Centre of Migration, Policy and Society, Paper 25.

2. Kroon, S. (2017). Globalization Session 1 [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://edubb.uvt.nl/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_… .

3. Wang, X., Spotti, M., Juffermans, K., Cornips, L., Kroon, S., & Blommaert, J. (2013). Globalization in the margins. Tilburg: Tilburg University.