This report describes about 'Transpod', a company that is working to bring a new technology in the field of transportation. This technology called as 'Hyperloop' will make our fast life 'Super fast'.

1. A REVOLUTION IN
TRANSPORTATION
Transpod
NAME: - GURVINDER SINGH
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
AUGUST 2016
ERIC MAILARD
A REVOLUTION IN
TRANSPORTATION
Gurvinder Singh

2. A Revolution in Transportation

3. Introduction
Transpod Inc. is the startup which is dedicated to bring the concept of a high speed transportation
system called ‘Hyperloop’ into reality. The idea of this Hyperloop was developed by Elon Musk
in year 2013. At that time, Musk was looking for a transportation system that can run faster than
the existing modes of transportation. Transpod would be able to run at the speed of 560Km/h or
even more. People would be able to travel from Toronto to Montreal in just 30 minutes. Founder
of Transpod, Sebastien Gendron says that their company working with University of Toronto,
with a goal to accomplish this project by the end of year 2020. The company is expected to
present the first concept at Inno Trans Rail Show at Berlin in September 2016. Gendron says that
efforts are being made to provide customers a more comfortable journey than the airplanes. If
perfection is attained in prototype in September 2016, it would still take a couple of years to
bring this system for public use.
Company Founders
Sebastien Gendron, founder of Transpod is an engineer with a background in aerospace. He is an
operations manager, and has 10 years of experience in aerospace. He says that at time when he
found Transpod, he was looking for a mode of transport that can run faster than a plane and can
be more cost effective. Ryan Janzen, Co-founder and CTO of Transpod has a background in
research and development. His contributions have led to many advances avionics, optics,
mathematical theory, and physics. Janzen developed new technologies like swarm modulation,
and extra missive optics while doing PHD at University of Toronto. Sebastien and Ryan are
working hard in order to present their transportation system before the world in Rail show at
Berlin. Sebastien Gendron wants to take this transportation system in Europe and Asia.
According to him this technology has a very wide scope in the speedily developing countries like
China and India. He founded this company with a view to redefine the transportation system
between two major cities in developed markets. The best thing about Transpod is that the
transport system will not harm the environment. Founders are quite positive towards their goal
and are committed to bring their concept into reality by year 2020. Sebastien Gendron, appeals
the people that they should keep communicating about Transpod. People need to trust that this is
actually going to happen what is quite hard to believe. Further, he says that aerospace industry is
helping his company in this project and Bombardier can invest this project if it gets succeeded.
Founders are doing their best to turn that into reality what is a dream today.
Origin of concept
The concept of Hyperloop originated with the idea to provide a mode of transport that would be
safer, faster, cost effective, more convenient, immune to weather, sustainably self-powering,
resistant to earthquakes, not disruptive to those along the route. Elon Musk calls Hyperloop as
the fifth mode of transportation after plane, train, car, and boat. Hyperloop would be as
convenient as road transport, as cheap as road and water transport, as fast as air transport, and
last but not least, it would be eco-friendly. The concept is to mount an electric compressor on the
nose of the pod that would transfer air at a very pressure from front to the rear of the vessel. It

4. would be a low pressure suspension system that would not create a problem while travelling at
the speed of 700 mph. At such a high speed, it is impossible to use wheels. But, a cushion of air
can be helpful in such a condition. Air bearings would work at the speed of Mach 1.1 with very
low friction. In order to make it cost effective it has been developed in such a way that it would
be the pod that would produce air cushion rather than the tube. As long as the energy that
accelerates the pod does not draw energy from the battery pack, there would be no problem of
shortage of energy. A round induction motor would accelerate the pod and provide a reboost
every 70 miles.
As far as the expenses are concerned, this system saves billions of dollars as compared to
railways. The main advantage of the tube is that it can be built in prefabricated sections as well
as above the ground on pylons. There would be no need to buy the land. The only and minor
problem concerned with Hyperloop is that it would have to take turn where highway takes a
sharp turn.
This mode of transport would be free from the risk of earthquakes. As this system would be
based on pylons, the tube would not be fixed at any point. Hence, risk of earthquakes can be
mitigated and need of expansion of joints can be avoided.
Hyperloop would have the capacity to generate energy by itself using the solar panels placed on
the top of the tube. In addition to that the energy would be stored the batteries so as to use it at
the time of night and during bad weather conditions. Energy can be stored as compressed air in
order to run the electric fan in reverse to generate energy. At the beginning, Hyperloop will
travel between San Francisco, Los Angeles, and California. The duration of trip would be about
half an hour, and capsules of Hyperloop will depart in every 30 seconds from the terminals
carrying 28 people each.
Relationship to Elon Musk
The idea of Hyperloop based train system was thought up by Elon Musk in 2013. He outlined the
concept of Hyperloop, a superfast, low frictional transportation system that would be seen as an
alternative way of transportation to the existing ways of travelling He developed the idea to run a
train that can use low pressure tubes and pods to run at the speed of 560 Km/h. According to
Musk, ‘‘The system is immune to wind, ice, fog, and rain. The propulsion system is integrated
into the tube and can only accelerate the capsule to speeds that are safe in each section. With
human control error and unpredictable weather removed from the system, very few safety
concerns remain”.
References
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://techland.time.com/2013/08/13/4-reasons-elon-musks-hyperloop-could-
tank/
Edwards, J. (2013, 08 12). Here's What Happens If The Hyperloop Crashes. Retrieved from Business
Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-happens-if-the-hyperloop-crashes-2013-8

5. To bring this concept into reality Transpod is working with Elon Musk. It is the result of hard
work of Elon Musk that finally this mode of transportation will be presented before the world at
the Inno Rail Show taking place at Berlin in September 2016. Musk has the idea that passengers
would be able to walk into one of the pods every so minutes. His masterpiece would have all the
safety measures like oxygen masks, emergency brakes, and retractable wheels. Now, three years
after Elon Musk developed the idea, a Toronto based company says it’s a few years away from
developing a model to transport people at the speed of sound or 30 times faster than the speed of
train and 50 times faster than the speed of plane.
Current Position of Transpod in the Market
Transpod is dedicated to bring Hyperloop as the new mode of transportation in the market. It is
an innovation and research based company, that is working to present the fastest mode of
transportation before the world. The company has designed the half scale prototype and is
planning to show the full concept at Rail Show at Berlin in 2016. Transpod has an advisory
board also. This company has become the point of interest for international transportation
industry. It is planning to start a high speed line between Toronto and Montreal. The CEO of
Transpod has a vision to expend its business in the developing countries like China and
developed countries like Dubai. At this point of time, the company has a target of market of one
Trillian dollars. The company is looking forward to expand its business in the public as well as
cargo transport.
Transpod has plans to be in partnership with the Federal Government of Canada, Provincial
Governments, and the Government Agencies. As far as the question of business expansion
outside Canada is concerned, Transpod is interested in those countries which have high density
of population, best infrastructure and scope for innovation in the field of transportation.
Investment in China, Middle East, Australia, and Dubai can be beneficial for the company. In
near future, Transpod can partner with private enterprises also.
Transpod has a good position in the market and it have lots of opportunities available in the
world market. Since, it has a new concept and there are very few competitors in the market, it
has many more chances of growth. With a view to have further innovations, the company is in
discussions with OEM, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the
Ontario center of excellence. The company has developed and academic collaboration with the
University of Toronto.
The technology used by Transpod, ‘Hyperloop Technology’ has the capacity to be one of the
most innovative and most useful technology of 21st
century. Transpod being the only company
of this kind, is in very strong position in the market.

6. Success and challenges faced the company
Despite having so advanced technology and a broad vision, Transpod have some challenges.
Most of the challenges are related to the risks of safety to passengers. The diagram of Hyperloop,
shown by Elon Musk shows the passengers wearing seat belts. There can be only one reason for
the seat belts- crash. Nothing can be considered as perfectly safe, so the question is that whether
something like a transport travelling at the speed of sound in a tube would be safe enough.
According to Musk, if human control errors and unpredictable weather are removed from the
system, there would be only a few concerns to safety. The propulsion system the tube will move
the capsule only at the speed that is safe for the passengers. In case of serious accidents, travelers
may lose oxygen, so oxygen masks would be deployed. Onboard supply of the air would be safe,
as the technology of plane would be used for it.
In the unlikely event of a large scale capsule depressurization, other capsules in the tube would
automatically begin emergency braking whilst the Hyperloop tube would undergo rapid re-
pressurization along its entire length.
References
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://techland.time.com/2013/08/13/4-reasons-elon-musks-hyperloop-could-
tank/
Edwards, J. (2013, 08 12). Here's What Happens If The Hyperloop Crashes. Retrieved from Business
Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-happens-if-the-hyperloop-crashes-2013-8
Even after having these challenges, the company has been very successful in its project till now.
The technology used by the company has no competitor in the market. In addition to that,
company has been able to impress Aerospace companies and international transportation
companies. Transpod is going to show its concept to whole world in the upcoming trains show at
Berlin in September 2016. All these points show the degree of success of Transpod.
Future Potential
This Toronto based company is planning to start a line between two major cities of the country
i.e. Toronto and Montreal. It is planning to expend business in Asia, Middle East, and Australia.
Firm is planning to partner with Federal Government of Canada, Provincial Governments, and
Government Agencies. Transpod has the potential to use many more sources to run the capsule.
For instance, electromagnet can be used to move the capsule at a very high speed The company
has a highly skilled and hardworking team. So, it would not be wrong to say that we can see a
new mode of transportation by Transpod after the launching of Hyperloop.

7. Bibliography
1. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://techland.time.com/2013/08/13/4-reasons-elon-musks-hyperloop-could-tank/
2. Edwards, J. (2013, 08 12). Here's What Happens If The Hyperloop Crashes. Retrieved
from Business Insider:
http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-happens-if-the-hyperloop-crashes-2013-8
3. (2016, March 17). Retrieved August 03, 2016, from
http://bloombergtv.ca/shows/bloomberg-north/bloomberg-north-episode/?epid=101&sgid=3
4. Pang, E. (2016, March 15). Company Claims New Mark 1 Pod Can Go to Montreal from
Toronto in 30 Minutes. Retrieved August 03, 2016, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/03/15/elon-musk-hyperloop-_n_9469762.html