Hyperloop = Warp Speed for Your Car
Elon Musk speaks humbly, but his vision is undeniably bold. With Hyperloop, you can get from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 35 minutes AND have your car when you get there.
Today, Elon revealed his design. He outlined two possible versions: one for passengers, and one that costs just slightly more and offers a profound benefit: it can transport cars too.
For a while now, we’ve been able to travel between cities quickly. Today, I can fly from San Francisco to LA in an hour for $99. Hyperloop cuts this time in half, but its benefit goes far beyond that.
When I arrive at LA today, I’m a pedestrian stranded at an airport. Not a very useful state of affairs. Ever hear the song Walking in LA?
Acquiring a set of wheels means shelling out for a rental car or taxi, and lots of waiting around. I do have an alternative: sometimes I drive to LA. It costs about the same as flying, tires me out, and piles the miles on my car, but it’s great to have a ride when I get there.
Both choices suck, and the proposed California High Speed Rail doesn’t help: it’s slower than a plane, costs more, and I’m still car-less when I get there.
Hyperloop gives us the best of both worlds. It’s a faster, cheaper way to travel long distances, and it leverages the solution we already have for short ones: our cars.
Instead of thinking of Hyperloop as a fast train, think of it it as warp speed for your car.
Now that’s a future worth fighting for.
Pete DeLaurentis is an engineer, aspiring artist and sci-fi writer. You can follow him on Twitter.
