Could Elon Musk's 'Hyperloop' Become the 5th Form of Transportation?

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By Vignesh Ramachandran2013-08-08 19:34:11 -0400

The anticipation is growing.

Last month, entrepreneur Elon Musk announced on Twitter that he would unveil the alpha design for his "Hyperloop" transportation system by Aug. 12. With just days until Monday, we're still waiting for Musk's big reveal. His Hyperloop system would reportedly surpass the speed of commercial airplanes, hypothetically allowing passengers to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in minutes.

See also: 10 Transportation Apps to Keep You Moving

Insurance site Gocompare.com created an infographic, below, that illustrates the rumored details about Hyperloop. It explains that the high-speed transportation system would be solar-powered, immune to weather and could feature passenger pods that are approximately two meters — around 6.6 feet — in diameter.

If it becomes reality, Hyperloop would be the world's fifth major form of transportation, including planes, trains, automobiles and boats.

Of course, Musk is no stranger to the transportation industry: He's trying to conquer space travel via SpaceX, and is introducing a new luxury class of electric vehicles with Tesla Motors. But we'll just have to wait and see exactly what Musk envisions for his next-generation, high-speed transportation system.

Are you excited to learn more about Musk's Hyperloop plans? Or do you think it's all hot air? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Image: Joe Corrigan/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival.

Topics: concepts, Design Concepts, elon musk, Hyperloop, infographics, Tech, transportation