After SpaceX cancelled its Hyperloop competition in 2020, four European student teams founded their own event, which takes place in a different European country every year. After three successful events in Spain, the Netherlands and Scotland, this year’s EHW took place in Zurich for the first time.

The Swiss team organised the 6-day event with the support of ETH Zurich. In addition to a financial commitment from their alma mater, they were able to organise the presentations, panel discussions and workshops at ETH Hönggerberg.

As in previous years, the highlight was the public presentation of the pods on Saturday. For the first time, seven teams were able to demonstrate functioning pods at the Innovation Park Zurich in Dübendorf. The 45-member jury scrutinised the new developments closely – safety was one of the most important criteria.

At the Public Day on Europaallee near Zurich main station on Sunday, the general public was also able to find out about possible future public transport concepts. The ‘pneumatic tube for travellers’ met with great interest. The fact that the ETH team Swissloop won 3rd prize for the overall system of their pod at the final award ceremony was a worthy conclusion to an all-round successful week.

Swissloop was one of 20 teams that sent their concepts and prototypes into the European Hyperloop Week race. Their laboratory and workshop are located in the Innovation Park in Dübendorf. Swissloop offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience during their studies. This year, ETH mechanical engineering student Louis Chambre was jointly responsible for the construction of the pod as Operations Lead. Electrical engineering student Lina De Windt was as Focusstudent responsible for the power electronics.

For the next edition of the European Hyperloop Week, which will take place from 15-21 July 2024 in Zurich, ETH electrical engineering student Lina De Windt will lead the team and Louis Chambre will be Executive Director of the EHW.