Forget Bullet Trains, Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Could Become the Fastest Way to Travel at over 1 200km/h
- Tesla owner and the world's second-richest man Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept is trending again after Virgin Hyperloop trialled the first passenger ride in November 2020
- Moving between major cities in high-speed trains have been around since 1964 after Japan's Tōkaidō Shinkansen became the first high-speed rail system in the world
- Experts say Musk's Hyperloop system could be capable of transporting passengers from city to city in less than 45 minutes, travelling at the top speed of 1200 km/h
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High-speed rail has been around for close to 60 years, but Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept that first came to light in a 2013 white paper, aims to push the boundaries for passenger and cargo transport.
In basic terms, the Hyperloop is an electrically propelled pod that transports people or cargo through sealed and partially evacuated tubes. Musks' idea is that these tubes are connected between cities that aren't too far away from each other and transport can take place at very high speeds due to propulsion systems.
Of course, because it's electrically powered in theory it will have less impact on the climate. Richard Branson's Virgin Hyperloop conducted the first passenger ride in November 2020.
Source: UGC
Musk's Hyperloop concept is faster than the bullet train and a Boeing 747, TechInsider reports. The magnetic pods levitate inside the tube that can reach over 1200 km/h. It will totally revolutionise travel between cities and Musk says a ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 45 minutes will cost around $100 or R1500.
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Virgin's Hyperloop, which conducted the first human test in November 2020, has set its sights on launching cargo solutions by the mid-2020s. The Hyperloop system will transport high-priority, time-sensitive goods including fresh food, medical supplies, electronics, and more.
Musk's white paper outlined several positives of the high-speed means to travel including it being faster, lower cost, more convenient, immune to weather, sustainably self-powering, resistant to earthquakes and not disruptive to those along the route.
This is how much the new Volkswagen Polo 85kW DSG costs in Mzansi
One of South Africa's most popular cars, the Volkswagen Polo, has received a refresh according to Briefly News. The German carmaker released pricing for its 85kW DSG models that join the rest of the updated range at the end of February.
For 2022, Volkswagen has given the popular hatchback a spruced up exterior and added significant standard features to its Life 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG model. For R370 000 the derivative features a digital dash interface, park distance control (front and rear), electric folding mirrors, lumbar support for the driver and front passenger and a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with shift paddles.
The 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG model goes on sale from the end of February, according to MotorPress. The R-Line derivative is the model with loads of street cred and sets itself apart with 16-inch Valencia wheels, a Composition Media infotainment system with wireless charging for a smartphone and two-zone climate control.
Source: Briefly News
