Better Roads: What is the hyperloop?

Updated Aug 15, 2013

Hyperloop capsule

What is this hyperloop you’ve been hearing about? It’s the invention of Tesla CEO Elon Musk that could completely change the way we travel long distances while revolutionizing transportation and infrastructure at the same time.

But, as our sister site Better Roads lays out in great detail, the hyperloop is also a complicated concept that could take years and years to bring to reality.

The main components of the hyperloop are its capsules and the tunnel. The capsules are propelled forward by a battery-powered fan—they float on compressed air—through the tunnel at speeds between 300 and 760 mph, according to Better Roads.

That means you could hop on the hyperloop and make it from Los Angeles to San Francisco in about 35 minutes.

Be sure to check out Better Roads for the full story and more concept photos.