Elon Musk’s Supersonic Train Project, Hyperloop, Hits Some Road Bumps

November 3, 2016 5:00 am
(Courtesy Hyperloop One)
(Courtesy Hyperloop One)
(Courtesy Hyperloop One)

 

If you have a half-hour or so, there’s a fascinating article on NYMag.com that you’d probably enjoy, especially if you’re into schadenfreude. Titled “A Kink in the Hyperloop,” it describes Hyperloop One, the brainchild of Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk (for an in detail look at the transportation startup, read this).  Back in 2013, Musk laid out his vision for the levitating pneumatic transport system in a 58-page proposal online, but because he had too much on his plate, he let others take a crack at it.

One of those people is named Shervin Pishevar, a venture capitalist from Maryland. The NYMag.com article, written by Benjamin Wallace, details what’s happened in the last three years to Musk’s idea with Pishevar at the helm. In short: Things haven’t progressed smoothly.

 

A recovery vehicle and a test sled sit on rails after the first test of the propulsion system at the Hyperloop One Test and Safety site on May 11, 2016 in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The company plans to create a fully operational hyperloop system by 2020. (David Becker/Getty Images)
A recovery vehicle and a test sled sit on rails after the first test of the propulsion system at the Hyperloop One Test and Safety site on May 11, 2016, in North Las Vegas, Nevada. (David Becker/Getty Images)

 

Without giving too much away, let’s just say there have been quite a few complications. You’ll also read about a mustachioed man named Brogan BamBrogan (yes, that’s really his name), a former SpaceX engineer who came aboard the Hyperloop project but ended up suing the company—and may or may not have been threatened with his life by Pishevar’s brother.

Like we said, it’s a good read. Considering Hyperloop just closed its first round of funding, it’s also a timely one. And if you’ve ever thought about trying to achieve something extremely ambitious in your life, it’s a must-read.

Here’s the full article.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.