Overview
Billionaire entrepreneur and possible mad scientist Elon Musk is one step closer to making his Futurama-style transportation system a reality. After first proposing the high-speed, compressed air-powered Hyperloop back in 2012, the Tesla, PayPal and Zip2 cofounder has just put down a lease on a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles, establishing the headquarters for Hyperloop Technologies Incorporated.
Described by Musk as a "cross between a Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table," the proposed Hyperloop system would consist of a long route of elevated vacuum-sealed steel tubes, through which pressurised capsules ride cushions of air at speeds of up to 1220km/h. Designed to transport both freight and brave human passengers, Musk’s first proposed route would run from LA to San Francisco, cutting the roughly six and a half-hour drive time to just 35 minutes.
If you think that this idea sounds awesome, then you’re right — it's straight-up awesome. There are however still a few small details to work out. Despite Musk’s initial assertions that the project would cost a 'mere' US$6 billion to complete, several economists have put the price tag closer to ten times that, if not more. There’s also the possibility that people might be a little reluctant to seal themselves inside a windowless metal pod travelling at breakneck speeds through the desert — although if the proposed US$20 ticket price holds true, it may be a preferable alternative to flying.
For those of you who geek out over science, Gizmag published a pretty comprehensive breakdown of Musk’s 2013 proposal over here. The next step in the system’s development will involve an 8km test track, with Musk identifying Texas as a possible location. Hyperloop Technologies CEO Dirk Ahlborn last year estimated that a commercially operable Hyperloop “can be built within the decade.”
Via LA Times.