The insanely fast Hyperloop will soon begin testing in Nevada

 

 Ever since Elon Musk unveiled his Hyperloop concept in August 2013, there’ve been organizations working to bring at least a test track online and see if the concept can work. One of those companies, Hyperloop Technologies Inc, has announced that its own plans are moving forward. The organization will build its Propulsion Open-Air Test (POAT) near Las Vegas, Nevada.
As the name implies, POAT will be used to test linear electric motors. Linear induction motors are typically used in maglev trains (in low-acceleration applications) and for coil and railguns (in awesome, high-speed applications). Musk’s original whitepaper on the subject mentioned linear electric motors as the practical method of driving Hyperloop capsules, and a follow-up paper from Hyperloop Technologies appears to agree with this, though the company notes it’s exploring multiple methods of stabilizing the capsule in the tube, including the proposed air cushion as well as a wheel-based solution.
The larger question, of course, is whether or not the Hyperloop represents a fifth mode of transportation (as compared to rail, roads, flight, and sea travel), or if it’s an interesting idea without much current practicality. Hyperloop Technologies has said in past presentations that it would like to see the cost of a Hyperloop ticket driven down into the $20-$30 range over the long term and believes it could be competitive for long-distance (or fast delivery) freight hauling. At $20-$30 a ticket, a Hyperloop network could conceivably deliver passengers from Point A to Point B at greater-than airline speed for Greyhound prices. That’s an extremely attractive proposition for all sorts of reasons, but we’re still a long way from proving that a real-world Hyperloop can be built and operated while maintaining sustainable revenue.

Proposed Hyperloop network

Hyperloop Technologies envisions a network of tubes spanning most of the country, but this model actually shows the difficulty of ramping up a new mode of transport. Compare the map of proposed HT hubs with the current map of US air coverage.

US domestic flights

As someone who enjoys air travel just slightly more than being attacked by giant wasps, I’m sympathetic to the argument that Hyperloop transport could provide a faster, cheaper method of transportation. Even if the technology works, however, I’m not certain the business case will. It may provide specific options to users in destination cities traveling directly between them, but it’s more difficult to make a case for point-to-point Hyperloop transport replacing the air network. Air travel is cumbersome and inconvenient, particularly if you don’t live in a hub city and have to travel through multiple airports to reach a destination — but as the above diagram shows, 70 years of expansion have created a network that serves a huge percentage of the United States.
Still, we won’t know if the solution can work until we’ve tried to build one. Hopefully Hyperloop Technologies’ motor tests will shed more light on the kinds of designs that work well in this context and pave the way for further testing in 2017 – 2018.