Elon Musk’s fabled Hyperloop transportation system is finally becoming a reality, with a newly funded start-up confirming the first shuttle tube will open to the public in 2018.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, the fledgling company hoping to breathe life into the Tesla founder’s sci-fi fantasy, revealed a five-mile Hyperloop would be built over in the USA, with construction beginning in 2016.
Interestingly, the world’s first public Hyperloop will be pieced together midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in a town that doesn’t actually exist yet.
Named ‘Quay Valley’, the town was first proposed back in 2007 and aims to be a ‘sustainable 21st century town’, marketed as 100 per cent solar powered and self-sustaining.
The Hyperloop, then, is a perfect fit, largely thanks to the fact that it will be powered by solar energy.
Speaking to IBTimes, Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of HTT, said: “We feel now that we’re at a stage where questions are answered on a theoretical level so now we’re moving on to prototyping.”
“This five-mile stretch will allow us to completely test the technology, from the board process to the safety procedures – really everything except the top speed.”
Unfortunately, five miles won’t be enough to see the Hyperloop max out velocity, but the full-scale version is expected to manage speeds of up to 760mph.
It’s going to be built alongside Quay Valley, also pegged for 2016 beginnings, providing transport for residents living in the 25,000 yet-to-be-built homes.
Quay Hays, CEO of Grow Holdings, said: “With Quay Valley, we’re creating a community built on economical, environmental, and social sustainability, and part of this is seeking to reduce car dependency.”
“For these reasons, the Hyperloop is the ideal clean community transit system for Quay Valley.”
Related: Elon Musk's Hyperloop: Everything you need to know
Hyperloop Technologies officially launched earlier this month, boasting $8.5 million of start-up capital dedicated to the Hyperloop cause.
The company is also looking to raise a further $80 million in a funding round planned for later this year.
Elon Musk won’t be directly involved with Hyperloop due to his commitments to Tesla and SpaceX, instead remembered as the tube system’s spiritual forebear.