Hyperloop Technologies, the company developing some real, revolutionising personal transport tech, announced on Tuesday that it is all set for the first major Hyperloop test. It’d take place on its first-ever test track in North Las Vegas on Wednesday morning.
Not just this, the company said that it is also changing its name to Hyperloop One representing its “singular leadership and incredible progress” in developing the world’s first full-scale Hyperloop system.
The future of transport technology was first envisioned by SpaceX CEO and business magnate Elon Musk back in 2013. He proposed the idea of carrying passengers in capsules at speeds of up to 500 miles an hour and made his work public so that efficient researchers/builders could work on the idea and make it better. That’s what Hyperloop Technologies (now Hyperloop One) did.
Over the last year, we saw the idea of a hyperloop grow with the support from investors as well as fans. The California based company is now finally ready for a real-world test of its technology. Though the test won’t be of an actual passenger pod being shot around at breakneck speeds, the company hopes to give us a taste of the technology that is used under the hood. The test will push linear motors down a half-mile track at speeds of 330 miles per hour.
Along with the exciting news of the renaming and test driving, the company added that it has successfully raised an $80 million Series B fund which included new as well as old investors. The investors include big names like Khosla Ventures, the French National Rail Company and GE Ventures.
Also, Hyperloop One has secured many new partnerships that will surely help the company achieve its goals faster and much more effectively. Notable names include AECOM (currently working with SpaceX to build a one-mile test track that will be used for the much awaited pod competition, to take place later this year) and Danish architect Bjarke Ingels to help with the design directives and how to’s to integrate the new technology into cities. Design and engineering firm Arup and the engineering and consulting firm Systra have also stood up with Hyperloop One for this project.
Along with our partners, we will create new projects and opportunities to solve transportation challenges around the world through the technology, services and expertise we jointly represent.
said Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hyperloop One, in the press statement.
The time is right to bring new thinking to old problems and harness new technologies and services to make a quantum leap in transportation.
Stay tuned to know how the tests go!
