Having a hyperloop in your town would be the closest thing you'd have to a jumping in through a wormhole. The vacuum tube transport doesn’t fold space in on itself to get you from point A to point B, but if you're substituting traffic jams for a supersonic commute, it sure will feel like it. And now, the Hyperloop One Global Challenge has narrowed a starting field of 2,600 route proposals to the final 10.
All these teams will now receive more support and resources from Hyperloop One to see if and when an actual hyperloop would begin operations. A lot is unknown, like how much one project or single fare would actually cost, although Elon Musk, who invented the idea, calculates that one ticket may only cost one Andrew Jackson ($20), or by the time it's built, a Harriet Tubman. The U.S. Department of Transportation calculates that on average an hour of travel between U.S. cities costs $20, so this rate would be well worth it for the time and convenience factors.That's assuming America even gets the first project. Canada, Mexico, the U.K., and India are also in the running.
"The Hyperloop One Global Challenge started as a call to action for innovators, engineers, trailblazers and dreamers around the world who shared our vision of creating a new mode of transportation," says Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Hyperloop One. "The Global Challenge became a movement of thousands of people from more than 100 countries over six continents. Like us, they believe that Hyperloop will not only solve transportation and urban development challenges within communities, it will unlock vast economic potential and transform how our cities operate and how we live. Our successful test this summer made Hyperloop a reality, and now we're ready to bring our Hyperloop system to the world."
Wherever the first hyperloops are built, the whole world stands to benefit. The technology promises reductions in carbon emissions and a boost to the global supply chain, which will be even more valuable as the global population swells and more nations industrialize.
In the end, it comes down to a quicker commute and a faster, cheaper supply chain. Take a look at the 10 finalists by clicking on the gallery and decide for yourself what region deserves it the most, and tell us your thoughts in the comment section below. You can also use the Hyperloop route calculator to find out how long it will take to get from your town to another location.
