Originally developed by Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, the Hyperloop Pod Competition is one that is highly revered in the Engineering world. As such, a team of UNSW students were more than excited that they were the only Australian team selected to attend the competition finals on July 21, and Axalta was a proud supporter in the preparation of the hyperloop which was used in the competition. The team came in 7th place out of 21 international teams. 

A Hyperloop is described by UNSW Hyperloop project manager, Harry Zhang as “a vacuum train where you hop in pods, and these would be shuttling you between major cities at the speed of sound.”

The Hyperloop was made using carbon fibre and once sealed, it was then painted with Cromax Pro waterborne black basecoat with a feature yellow stripe (Y9H Lively Yellow). The yellow colour was chosen for its striking appearance, helping to make it a stand out from the competition. 

Axalta is constantly advancing products with the latest technology to meet the needs of an ever-changing industry and have been extending its innovation leadership to the younger generation through its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives globally based on Axalta Bright Futures Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) foundation.

“Our support to UNSW student team aligns with Axalta’s STEM focused CSR programs and is a demonstration of the value of the technology, engineering, and innovation that goes into Axalta and its products.” Steven Brett, Managing Director, Axalta Coating Systems Australia said, “As the future of transport (and modes of transport) evolves, Axalta, a leading innovator in transportation coatings, is proud to be a part of the Hyperloop journey with UNSW students to embrace the exciting opportunities presented.”