World’s First Electric Train-Plane Hybrid Moves Faster Than An Actual Jet

TransPod, a Toronto-based startup, is working to build the world’s first ultra-high-speed ground transportation system. It has now unveiled the FluxJet, a fully electric aircraft-train hybrid that’s said to travel faster than an actual jet.

Moving at a speed of 1,000 km/h (620 mph)—or three times as fast as a regular high-speed train—the network aims to transform “the way we live, work, and travel.” 

At the firm’s recent unveiling event, a scaled-down version of the FluxJet presented a live demonstration of its capabilities, including takeoff, travel, and its standard landing procedure. 

Running on contactless power transmission and the use of a new field of physics, known as veillance flux, the FluxJet will operate on a high-frequency network system that will see stations placed in key locations and major cities for fast and affordable travel. 

According to the company, preliminary construction work has begun on the TransPod Line connecting the cities of Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, with the service expected to save passengers 44% compared to a plane ticket.

In addition, travel along the corridor between the two destinations via the electric hybrid will see the reduction of 636,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. 

“This milestone is a major leap forward. The FluxJet is at a nexus of scientific research, industrial development, and massive infrastructure to address passengers’ needs and reduce our dependence on fossil-fuel-heavy jets and highways,” said Ryan Janzen, co-founder of TransPod. 

“The FluxJet is a first for Canadian innovation and is the next great infrastructure project to be brought worldwide,” he added. 

[via Robb Report and TransPod, cover image via TransPod]