A sky-high solution for congested cities

AS CITIES AROUND THE WORLD GRAPPLE WITH CONGEStion and seek to lower emissions, one New Zealand-based startup is looking upward for solutions.

- HARRY BOOTH

Next year, Whoosh will begin construction on a gondola-like ride-hailing network in a 370-acre area of tourism hot spot Queenstownthe first of its kind.

Whoosh resembles a ski lift, descending for passenger pickup, but operates differently. While gondolas transport lifts by moving the entire cableway, each Whoosh cabin uses an electric motor to propel itself along a stationary network of cables and rails at an average speed of about 26 m.p.h.

Powering the cabins themselves means the guideway can be "really simple, low-cost infrastructure," Whoosh CEO Chris Allington says. The pods have a mechanism that allows them to switch from cables to suspended rails at speed, meaning that, unlike a gondola, Whoosh can take flexible routes from pickup to drop-off without stopping.

Whoosh says its vehicles, expected to be up and running as part of the pilot scheme by 2027, could help reduce travel times and are twice as efficient as the most economical electric cars. Users will be able to hail rides on demand using an app or ticket-vending machines.