How Hyperloop One’s System Becomes Reality

The Hyperloop is just the next in a series of innovations spearheaded by Elon Musk and his team at SpaceX. Between SpaceX, Tesla and now the Hyperloop, Musk has obviously taken a keen interest in pushing transportation technology forward in great leaps. Tesla has made self-driving cars a reality while also pushing electric automobile tech forward from both practicality and performance standpoints. SpaceX is the first private company to shuttle cargo back and forth to the Space Station, while also perfecting the art of landing their rocket stages back on the ground for reuse instead of just dumping them off into the ocean, a certain savings on the financial stand point.

Now the Hyperloop aims to refine what would fall under rail travel. By connecting stations by a length of near-vacuum tubes, these trains, which are powered by electromagnets within the tube that lift the train into the air and propel it forward, can theoretically reach speeds of up to 760 MPH, nearing the speed of sound. While the system is still in the very early stages of development, early testing looks to be very promising, as you can see in the video below. In the most typically Musk of moves, he made the Hyperloop design a contest, opening up the competition to private firms and universities who all have the entrepreneur’s blessing to try to create the best design from a functionality and efficiency standpoint, as well as encouraging the contestants to develop the idea even further.

In the video below, we get a great look at one of the first tests at the “Stage 2” level of development. If the speeds are any indicator of what’s to come, have no doubt that in the future, major cities will be connected by Hyperloop tubes that will shorten the transit time by a considerable amount. How amazingly cool is that!?