High-Speed Rail Transports First 2 Riders

Nov. 10, 2020

Virgin Hyperloop, one of the companies tackling Elon Musk’s open-source idea for sustainable, high speed travel, boarded the first two human passengers to ride in a Hyperloop pod and one of its test tracks. No full hyperloop system exists today, but the two rode a pad at the company’s test track in Las Vegas, which consists of just over a quarter mile of track. 

The company said it ran over 400 unmanned tests in preparation to ensure the low-pressure tube, which uses magnets to generate propulsion, is safe. In the future the passenger pod will hold space for up to 28 passengers. 

The most important facet of today’s test is the fact that humans can travel safely in the pods at very high speeds, according to an article in C-Net. The company aims to clock speeds over 500 mph one day, though so far it’s only reached 250 mph. 

Virgin Hyperloop also announced a new certification center in West Virginia, which is getting a $500 million investment for a new test track. Construction will start in 2022 and the company hopes to have full certification for the transportation method in 2025.