Hyperloop Update: Elon Musk Will Start Developing It Himself

The interesting bits are the details about Musk's intentions going forward:

- Musk will build a demonstration prototype himself. “I think it might help if I built a demonstration article. I think I probably will do that, actually. I’ve sort of come around in my thinking on that part.”

- For now, this is a low priority for Musk. “Maybe I would just do the beginning bit, create a subscale version that is operating and then hand it over to someone else. Ironing out the details at a subscale level is a tricky thing. I think I would probably end up doing that. It just won’t be immediate in the short term because I have to focus on Tesla and SpaceX execution.”

- If it was his first priority, he could have it done in a year. “The demonstration project would not be anything that required some sort of big government approval process,” he said.

- Musk will invest his own money into this project, even though he hopes others will help as well. “I always invest my own money in the companies that I create. I don’t believe in the whole thing of just using other people’s money. I don’t think that’s right. I’m not going to ask other people to invest in something if I’m not prepared to do so myself.”

- But it’s okay if it doesn’t make him a lot of money. “I’m not trying to make a ton of money on this but I would like to see it come to fruition,” he said. “I don’t really care much one way or another if I have any economic benefit or another, but it would be cool to see an alternate form of transport.”

It'a not clear whether Musk actually said he intends to build a proof of concept or whether the writer took his "probably" too far.

If anyone finds a more complete transcript of the teleconference, please post it.

Slightly misleading headline: he said he will "probably" build a prototype, but still has no interest day-to-day. He is interested in investing, however.

I love all of these renderings showing transparent tubes. The tubes probably aren't going to be transparent. I'm not even sure who would want to look outside at that speed (besides me), so close to the ground.

A complementary opportunity for Richard Branson (Space / Air / Ground)

Amazon should build some narrow ones.

I think he's playing politics here, along with creating and riding a marketing wave. I think he'll likely do it all himself, especially since he'll discover more efficiencies and realize it's even more profitable than the current level / depth of research suggests - which is already much more efficient than other systems - even if you take into account the $6 billion to $60 billion comparison isn't apples-to-apples, you could still conceivably create 10 routes at $6 each (or shorter routes costing less), and then gaining the time benefit of transport taking 20 to 35 minutes - instead of 2-5 1/2 hours. I only wish I had the millions right now to building a surf board or two to ride this new wave that will be created. I have to focus on my current version of Elon's "PayPal" first. Patience is a virtue - and sometimes infuriating that things move so slowly.. but that is the game of life that everyone is in.

I think Musk at least sees this as an important learning opportunity that could yield information useful to both SpaceX and Tesla - beyond the goal of making the Hyperloop itself a reality.

Much like what goes on at NASA, really.

> Musk will build a demonstration prototype himself. “I think it might help if I built a demonstration article. I think I probably will do that, actually. I’ve sort of come around in my thinking on that part.”

...After which he reiterates that this is not his top priority, though if it was that it would take just one year by his estimates. I guess we'll all be looking forward to finding out where the prototype will be located (Texas?).

I can imagine him being torn on his priorities here, at the very least the Hyperloop project would drain some of his core engineering group which might not be in the best interest of tesla or spaceX.

It will take a real entrepreneur to derisk the project enough though before it can be released under other management. At the very least this marketing wave will aid him in securing enough funding/political capital to build a prototype somewhere.

In the cavity between the two tubes and the solar panels, there might be space for a freight transport tube?

Anybody want to make a longbet against Musk?

This is Elon's Segway - unproven, hyped up technology. This always happens with successful people/companies - they feel like they can do anything and can't fail - throwing rationality into the wind. I love Elon, but this is not worth his time at the moment.