March 01, 2023

The Elon Musk dream of a Hyperloop may soon come true

When Tesla [NASDAQ: TSLA] CEO Elon Musk got frustrated in traffic, he came up with a novel concept for a new mode of transportation, the Hyperloop. Although Musk isn't directly involved with the Hyperloop companies who have run with his idea — he remains interested, involved (via SpaceX) and hopeful that the technology will soon come to pass. To that end, Electrek recently reported that, "Hyperloop One’s [test] track in Nevada... is supposed to be 1-mile-long, but it currently stretches on 500 meters in the Nevada desert. The tube measures 3.3 meters in diameter and the entire Hyperloop test structure weighs over one million kilograms." Hyperloop One had also "announced a deal last year to bring the first hyperloop network to Dubai."

Image: Hyperloop One's test track in Nevada (Image: Electrek)

In addition, according to Teslarati, Indonesia is trying to get to market first: "Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) revealed that it had signed an agreement to execute a $2.5 million feasibility study in Indonesia to explore possible routes in Indonesia. Specifically, the study was commissioned to flesh out three potential routes branching out from the capital city of Jakarta: a critical link from Jakarta to Soekarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang, a second to Java, as well as a route from Jakarta to Sumatra."

Above: Overview of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies solution (Youtube: Kyle Field)

All around the world countries are racing to get the first Hyperloop up-and-running. Futurism* reports, "Hyperloop One has already raised $32 million for its current projects in the U.S., Slovenia, and the U.A.E." And another country might be in play: "the government of India is willing to spend $59 billion to transform and modernize its transportation systems, which may just benefit the Hyperloop One team after all. A project of this scale would fit right into India’s 'made in India' country-building initiative. The increase in business and manufacturing would put the hyperloop’s 1,000 kph (621 mph) speeds to great use by significantly decreasing transportation times between India’s major cities."

Above: A concept rendering of the Hyperloop (Image: Teslarati)

And earlier this week, Reuters reports that, "U.S. President Donald Trump met with business leaders on Wednesday including Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk... [as] Trump said he would push for a $1 trillion infrastructure program to rebuild roads, bridges, airports and other public works projects, but he has not presented a specific plan." Perhaps Musk might push for investment in Hyperloop initiatives? We'll see.