The First HyperloopTT Passenger Capsule Has Been Unveiled

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies just unveiled its first full-scale passenger capsule in Spain before moving it to France for more optimization.

byMarco Margaritoff|
The First HyperloopTT Passenger Capsule Has Been Unveiled
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Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc. (HyperloopTT) just unveiled its first full-scale passenger capsule in Spain, giving us all a glimpse before it’s shipped to Toulouse, France for further assembly and then used on one of the very first commercial tracks, Bloomberg reports

Hyperloop is a high-speed, low-pressure, underground tunnel technology popularized by Elon Musk and his Boring Company in 2013, with companies across the world now racing to join this nascent, modern transportation industry. The idea is to transport passengers in capsules at over 750 miles per hour, with the low-pressure tubes helping to reduce friction and increase speeds. 

Musk began actively working on this system when his disappointment of California’s plans for a high-speed rail system collided with his ideas for a more effective alternative. With a test site in California's Hawthorne desert, Musk’s Boring Company has plans for routes in California (Los Angeles to San Francisco), Chicago (Downtown to Chicago O’Hare Airport), and on the East Coast (Washington D.C. to Maryland).

The capsule displayed in Spain, named Quintero One, is 105 feet long, weighs five tons, and is comprised almost entirely out of composite materials. HyperloopTT established a joint venture this past July to construct a test site in the mountains of southwestern China. Virgin Hyperloop, led by billionaire Richard Branson, is focusing on the Indian market, having signed a preliminary agreement in Mumbai for a system allowing for travel from Mumbai to Pune in 25 minutes (saving around three hours). Additionally, Virgin Hyperloop recently announced a $500 million research and development facility in Spain.

Ultimately, the Hyperloop concept is a fascinating one that seems to be garnering enough competition to actually drive the concept into tangible reality. While HyperloopTT says it’s aiming to be “passenger ready” by 2019, the more important element here is that actual manufacturing, testing, and legislative factors are properly being taken care of. With that in mind, it seems like we’ll actually get to witness this futuristic travel method in action within the next few years.

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