Hyperloop One's fastest test yet: Passenger pod hits 192mph on debut run

Hyperloop One has completed the first successful DevLoop test track run of its levitating passenger pod, XP-1.

Last month it showed off a bare sled skittering across a fifth of the 500m (547 yard) vacuum-sealed tube at just 70 mph. This time, the XP-1 glided over the tracks for 300m, hitting a top speed of 190mph (310km/h), before braking and coming to a stop at 437m.

That's the highest speed yet for Hyperloop One, and while it's not as fast as some of today's maglev trains, co-founders Josh Giegel and Shervin Pishevar argue that with an additional 2,000m it would have achieved the 700mph (1,100km/h) it's ultimately targeting for tomorrow's transportation.

"When you hear the sound of the Hyperloop One, you hear the sound of the future," said Pishevar.

The whooshing sound is reminiscent of the effects used for vehicles in Blade Runner, but also not unlike some rail networks.

The carbon-fiber XP-1 pod is 8.7m long, 2.7m wide, and 2.4m tall (28.5ft, 8.9ft, 7.9ft). It's designed to carry passengers and cargo.

The latest test was 2.7 times faster than the test run in May, and demonstrated its engine was capable of delivering 3,151hp to the pod.

Giegel told Engadget the company doesn't plan to extend the current DevLoop, but rather will be looking to carry out tests in countries that have expressed interest in HyperLoop One.

Hyperloop One told ZDNet it expects to be able to start testing Hyperloop technology in Europe by this September.

"We've been traveling extensively to meet with many of the semi-finalists since the final Hyperloop One Global Challenge event occurred in Amsterdam in May," a spokeswoman said.

"We're supporting their engagement with relevant governments and continuing to help develop their proposals. We expect to recognize the next-stage projects in September."

Hyperloop One in June nominated nine potential links in Europe drawn from its Global Challenge event, including routes in Germany, Estonia-Finland, Spain-Morocco, Corsica-Sardinia, the Netherlands, Poland, UK Scotland-Wales, UK Northern Arc and UK North-South Connector.

Hyperloop One is one of the firms attempting to prove that Elon Musk's vision for a rapid mass transport system with top speeds of 760mph can be realized.

Musk released a design for the system in a 2013 paper called Hyperloop Alpha, detailing a maglev system that would operate in a near-vacuum environment.

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