In a desert north of Las Vegas, the first open-air test of Hyperloop One's propulsion system showed the public for the first time the potential of the technology in transporting passengers and cargo at the speed of sound.
Hyperloop transportation systems can reach speeds of up to 750 miles per hour, with the vessels hurtling through special tubes. At such a speed, the trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco, which usually takes about six hours by car, will be completed in only 30 minutes.
The video that captured the test, which lasted only seconds, brings even more hype to the Hyperloop concept, which was first proposed by Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Development of the Hyperloop technology has since been taken up by a few startup companies, with Hyperloop One being of them.
Hyperloop One, formerly known as Hyperloop Technologies, could launch a full-scale test of the Hyperloop system before the year ends. However, while the optimism is there, there remain many questions surrounding the concept, such as how the Hyperloop system will be built out and who would be paying for its construction.
Hyperloop One Co-founder and CTO Brogan BamBrogan previously stated that the Hyperloop could actually be built today. However, the problem is that it would be really expensive, with estimated figures at $20 million per mile.
Nevertheless, the video of the seconds-long test showcases the promise of the transportation technology. The test was done at a reduced speed than what the track is capable of, but it was still at a very high speed of 400 miles per hour.
The propulsion technology featured in the Hyperloop consists of levitating pods, which utilize magnets and electricity to propel the vessels across low-friction surfaces. The tubes that the pods pass through can also be built underground, which would eliminate the risk of the system being affected by inclement weather.
