Elon Musk Hyperloop: NY To LA In 45 Minutes

Elon Musk’s Hyperloop would transport passengers from New York to Los Angeles in around 45 minutes. The high-speed transport system could affect travel worldwide.

The Hyperloop will likely operate on a vacuum tube system, which are most commonly used by banks. The vacuum system, combined with magnetic levitation, could allow for speeds up to 700 mph.

As reported by CNN, Elon Musk’s Hyperloop system would eliminate friction and wind resistance. The trains would have the benefit of traveling at high speeds without the danger of collision.

Musk has stated, through his Twitter account, that his alpha design will be published on August 12. Musk has also explained that his design will be open source, as he is not in favor of patents.

He has not ruled out working with partners, stating that anyone he agrees to work with “must truly share [his] goal of breakthrough tech done fast & w/o wasting money.”

Musk envisions the first Hyperloop being installed between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Passengers would be ferried between the cities in 30 minutes.

As reported by PC Mag, the 350 mile track would cost around $6 billion to complete. However, the price is only 10 percent of what a similar high-speed rail would cost.

A company based in Colorado is currently working on a prototype for a similar concept. ET3 is in the process of developing an Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT) system. The ETT has been promoted as providing “space travel on Earth.”

Officials with ET3 have stated that their system could eventually provide international trips, with speeds up to 4,000 mph.

Musk has applauded ET3’s efforts. However, he has reportedly stated that their ideas are missing some important information.

Elon Musk is already quite busy with SpaceX and Tesla Motors. The open source publication of the Hyperloop system will allow Musk to stay involved in development without taking on another leadership role.

[Image via Flickr]