Hyperloop Designers
August 16, 2013 in EV Star of the Week, Hyperloop, Tesla
Hyperloop design
Photo courtesy of Tesla
The Hyperloop designers are the stars of the week. The world needs sustainable EV mass transport, and this transport must be fast, convenient and affordable in order to displace traditional transport (cars, trains, planes and boats). The Hyperloop is an extremely attractive prospect due to its potential to rapidly speed people and goods utilizing the power of the sun (solar panels above the transport tubes). What is the Hyperloop design?
Mr. Elon Musk stated (Tesla Blog): “Hyperloop consists of a low pressure tube with capsules that are transported at both low and high speeds throughout the length of the tube. The capsules are supported on a cushion of air, featuring pressurized air and aerodynamic lift. The capsules are accelerated via a magnetic linear accelerator affixed at various stations on the low pressure tube with rotors contained in each capsule. Passengers may enter and exit Hyperloop at stations located either at the ends of the tube, or branches along the tube length.”
The United States has been dragging an imported oil barrel down highway 101 for decades, and the clanking noise of the drum has been getting louder as the barrel has been depleted. The days of cheap oil are gone, which gives the US an opportunity to lead with this new EV mass transport idea, Hyperloop.
Hyperloop design
Image courtesy of Tesla
Mr. Elon Musk continued (Tesla Blog): “The system consists of capsules that travel between Los Angeles, California, and San Francisco, California. The total trip time is approximately half an hour, with capsules departing as often as every 30 seconds from each terminal and carrying 28 people each. This gives a total of 7.4 million people each way that can be transported each year on Hyperloop. The total cost of Hyperloop in this analysis is under $6 billion USD. Amortizing this capital cost over 20 years and adding daily operational costs gives a total of about $20 USD (in current year dollars) plus operating costs per one-way ticket on the passenger Hyperloop.”
This transport technology would be a game changer. Who would fly? By the time you got settled in an airline seat, you could be at your destination via Hyperloop. In commerce, your product could arrive at its destination quicker, facilitating business. The long-term benefits of Hyperloop are innumerable …