Virgin Hyperloop completed its first test ride with passengers on the high-speed transport system on Sunday, the company announced.
Testing with Josh Gigel, co-founder and chief technology officer, and passengers experience director Sara Lucian as passengers at the Virgin Hyperloop test site in Las Vegas. The company has previously conducted more than 400 count pid tests on site.
‘I can’t tell you how often I am asked’ Is the hyperloop safe? “Virgin Hyperloop CEO Jay Werder said in an announcement. “With today’s passenger testing, we have successfully answered this question, showing that the Virgin Hyperloop will not be able to safely place a person in a vacuum environment, but the company has a thoughtful approach to safety that has been recognized by an independent third party. Party. ”
The first test ride with passengers comes a month after the West Virginia government’s Gym Justice (R) announced plans for a new Virgin Hyperloop Certification Center in the state. Work on the new development is expected to begin in 2021.
The purpose of hyperloop transportation is to cut cross-country land travel by moving people and goods by vacuum at speeds of up to 670 miles per hour. During Sunday’s test ride, the pod reached a top speed of about 107 miles per hour, according to a spokesman for Virgin Hyperloop.
The spokesman noted that the length of the 500-meter test track limited the speed of testing, adding that the company expects to gain speed at the Hyperloop Certification Center.
Passengers on the test ride were aboard a pod custom built with the safety and comfort of passengers in mind, the company said. The vehicle’s production will be larger and will seat 28 passengers, while the two-seater tested passengers were in front of what was on board.
– Updated at 10:49 a.m.
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