Hyperloop pod carries its first real passengers

Elon Musk’s ultra-fast vacuum tunnel-based transportation network has been tested by the company co-founder Josh Giegel and his colleague Sara Luchian, who took a half-mile long ride at 160 km/h (100 miles per hour).

The speed may be nowhere near the promised maximum of 1,000 km/h (620 mph), but it is a major first step, nonetheless. The company also used a downsized prototype version of the passenger capsule that only had room for two passengers. Once complete, the Hyperloop network should be able to move around pods with up to 28 people inside.

The idea of ultra-fast underground transportation is nothing new, as Elon Musk already runs a similar network in Los-Angeles. However, the latter is being used as a dedicated highway for EVs and not as a vacuum levitation tunnel.