We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the future of transportation. Solar-powered trains in Europe, cars that function on land and the sky and, of course, the fully electric self-driving vehicles that have piqued the attention of industry insiders and automotive enthusiasts.
But no idea has the Internet dazzled quite as much as Elon Musk’s Hyperloop.
The Hyperloop would place passenger pods inside a large vacuum tube system, then propel them at near-sonic speeds using magnets and fans — almost like an air hockey table inside a tube.
Despite sounding like science fiction, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said in a recent interview with CNNMoney that the idea isn’t just completely feasible but also “a lot easier than people think.”
Musk swears the Hyperloop concept is “really not that hard,” but there are no immediate commercial plans for the system from Musk or anyone else. SpaceX will also hold a Hyperloop Pod competition next year to find the best design for a passenger capsule.
That’s all the time we have today, but tune in every week day for your next Manufacturing Minute.
