Hyperloop, envisaged as the “fifth mode” of transportation after boats, automobiles, trains and aircraft, is set to revolutionise how the world travel. The proposed system is an elevated, reduced-pressure tube that contains pressurised capsules propelled within the tube by a number of electric motors. Passengers sit inside the capsule, which has small openings at the bottom. A cushion of air is forced through the openings, similar to the air hockey game where pucks are suspended in an air hockey table to create a friction-free effect. A prototype is going to be built in as early as 2015.
At an ultrasonic and record-breaking speed of 1,280 kilometres per hour, Hyperloop can whisk you from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just half an hour. In comparison, it takes more than five hours by car and almost one and a half hour by plane. Most importantly, the fare is much cheaper than that of a plane ticket, estimated at less than HK$200 one way.
At present, the proposal is still on the drawing board, receiving mixed responses ranging from cautious optimism to deep skepticism. It is claimed that this futuristic transport system is more environmental friendly than traditional one as it generates less greenhouse gases. Shielded from wind, ice, fog and rain, it is also more resistant to various extreme weather conditions. It reduces the risk of road accidents too. On the contrary, critics say that the cost of building the system is going to be astronomical. Moreover, they suspect that the Hyperloop may give passengers a bumpy ride.
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