Hyperloop, which was once just a concept by Elon Musk, is now closer to becoming a reality. After the first passenger tests in November 2020, Richard Branson’s Virgin Hyperloop grabbed international headlines. The original goal for Hyperloops was for people to be able to travel in 30 minutes from downtown Los Angeles to San Francisco. Many companies are participating in this race to perfect and build this new technology any day now.
Virgin Hyperloop’s succeeds in test ride with human passengers:
It was originally named Hyperloop Technologies before being changed to Hyperloop One in November 2016. It became Virgin Hyperloop One after Richard Branson’s firm bought it. This startup began working on Hyperloops with the goal of realizing Musk’s vision. The Virgin Hyperloop is working on a technology that would allow passenger pods to travel at up to 750 miles per hour.
In November 2020, Virgin Hyperloop stated that it has successfully tested its ultra-fast transportation system with human passengers for the first time. The trial took place in the desert west of Las Vegas at the company’s DevLoop test track. The test track spans a length of 500 m and has a diameter of 3.3 meters.
The first two passengers of this ride were Josh Giegel, the chief technical officer/co-founder, and Sara Luchian, head of the passenger experience. They were transferred into an airlock after strapping into their seats in the company’s sparkling white and red pod, named Pegasus, as the air inside the enclosed vacuum tube was withdrawn. The pod then accelerated to a max speed of 100 miles per hour before coming to a complete stop.
The pods have 28 seats and people will use them for long and short routes as well as freight transport. Magnetic levitation is the foundation of the Virgin Hyperloop system. This technology uses magnetic fields to raise the vehicle and propel it ahead. High-speed trains also use this technique. Electric power will propel the pods through the tubes at high speeds. As a result, the system is practically silent and emits no carbon dioxide, according to reports.
According to the CEO of the Virgin Hyperloop transportation system, the business plans to start carrying passengers in 2027.
Elon Musk’s Boring Company to facilitate Hyperloop tunnels :
Musk established the Boring Company in 2016 with the objective of creating tunnels for electric vehicles to assist relieve traffic congestion. If we drive cars at high speed on lines like train tracks, it is not a hyperloop system. Despite this, his core concept has inspired more than a dozen firms to develop hyperloop systems around the world.
They will mount Hyperloop tubes on 100-foot-tall quake-resistant pylons that will travel alongside known highway routes. And, they will power tubes and pods with Tesla-developed motors, batteries, and solar panels on the tube’s exterior surface.
You might want to read more about Was Elon Musk Destined to Colonize Mars Even Before He Was Born?
