Hyperloop travel could soon become a reality as maiden passenger journey undertaken in Nevada desert proves successful. By Tanvi Jain
Two passengers have ridden in a @virginhyperloop pod in a test that has made transportation history. Read my thoughts on why I’m so excited about Virgin Hyperloop and its potential to change how the world moves around: https://t.co/4PRA6PN8B1 pic.twitter.com/MXd2ZC9CmX
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) November 9, 2020
The world’s first passenger hyperloop journey undertaken in the Nevada Desert at a speed of 48 metres per second covering a distance of 395 metres, has proven to be successful. The trip was hosted by Virgin Hyperloop at DevLoop test site in Las Vegas, and onboard were its CTO and Co-founder, Josh Giegel, and Director of Passenger Experience, Sara Luchian.
“When we started in a garage over six years ago, the goal was simple – to transform the way people move. Today, we took one giant leap towards that ultimate dream, not only for me but for all of us who are looking towards a moonshot right here on Earth,” Giegel said in a press release.
“Hyperloop is about so much more than the technology. It’s about what it enables. To me, the passenger experience ties it all together. And what better way to design the future than to actually experience it first-hand?” Luchian added.
The first hyperloop passenger test: https://t.co/nFohRHsZVt pic.twitter.com/CI4Sq7sghY
— Virgin Hyperloop (@virginhyperloop) November 9, 2020
The newly unveiled XP-2 vehicle has been designed by BIG Bjarke Ingels Group and Kilo Design and has been custom-built to maximise comfort and safety. The test, however, used the two-seater version in order to demonstrate safety, but reports suggest that the company has plans for a larger production vehicle with a capacity of 28 passengers.
“This is one of those rare moments that humanity is making a great leap forward – people riding in a hyperloop system for the very first time. For the past few years, the Virgin Hyperloop team has been working on turning its ground-breaking technology into reality. With today’s successful test, we have shown that this spirit of innovation will, in fact, change the way people everywhere live, work, and travel in the years to come,” Virgin Group Founder, Richard Branson mentioned in his blog.
Meanwhile, in an interview with the Times of India, Virgin Hyperloop CEO, Jay Walder said, “We believe India is a tremendous market for Hyperloop. Hyperloop gives us transportation at the speed of an aeroplane, up to about 1,000 kilometres an hour, it gives us a high capacity and the Mumbai-Pune project that we have looked at, we look at carrying up to 150 million people a year. It gives us the ability to have people and cargo operating simultaneously.”
Related: What Are These Hyperloop One Passenger Capsules That BMW’s Manufactured?
