Elon Musk¡¯s Hyperloop One, which aims to reduce travel time between cities has achieved a milestone in a recent test. It achieved a speed of 387 km/h (240 mph), the fastest it has ever gone. In fact, this is faster than even the usual bullet trains speeds of 320 km/h, though the world record stands at 603 Km/h.
The test was conducted in a tube depressurised down to an equivalent air pressure found 200,000 feet above sea level. The company also tested a new airlock system that helps transition the Hyperloop pods between atmospheric and vacuum conditions.
In fact, the vacuum is the secret to Hyperloop¡¯s speed. Since there is no atmospheric drag on the pods, they are able to travel faster, using the magnetic levitation causing them to lift a few inches above the track.
Hyperloop One
The theoretical top speed of Hyperloop pods though is 1,200 km/h which is nearly three times the current speed.