Virgin Hyperloop is reinventing mass transportation

This content is part of Virgin.com’s Groundbreaker series, celebrating the creators and innovators at the forefront of radical change. From the champions of trailblazing greentech to new-gen space engineers, these are the bold new thinkers determined to make the world a better, greener and fairer place. Join us for a closer look at the beating entrepreneurial heart of Virgin and its partner companies – where risk-taking reigns supreme.

Seven years ago, Virgin Hyperloop founder Josh Giegel started a hyperloop company working out of a garage with a vision to create a new, sustainable way for people and cargo to travel.

Today, Virgin Hyperloop is the first company in the world that has tested the technology with passengers riding in its pod. Commercialisation is just around the corner.

Virgin Hyperloop will travel across land at nearly 700mph, drastically cutting journey times and connecting cities like metro stops. It’s an environmentally friendly, carbon free, affordable system designed for all.

What progress has Virgin Hyperloop made?

Virgin Hyperloop has tested the technology with two sets of passengers riding in its Pegasus pod on its DevLoop test track in the Nevada Desert.

Virgin Hyperloop

It has also conducted more than 400 tests without passengers on its 500m track. It reached speeds of 240mph in 2017 and the Virgin Hyperloop projects that with a longer track, it will reach speeds of 670mph.

It has revealed its vision of what travelling on Virgin Hyperloop will look and feel like.

Virgin Hyperloop is now working with visionary governments and partners, such as DP World, who understand the transformative power of this technology. Check out the world’s first Virgin Hyperloop routes here.

What does it take to go from an idea to reinventing mass transportation?

Josh has two tips for anyone starting out on their own venture:

1. “One thing that helped me along the way was to seek and build a tribe. Your tribe consists of people who believe in your vision, who are committed to seeing it come to fruition, and who can lift you up when you feel you can’t take another step forward.”

2. “Another tip is to take advantage of every opportunity to learn and ask questions of those who’ve gone before you. Sometimes, all it takes to get you over a roadblock is an objective point of view.”

Calling all aspiring innovators

Virgin Hyperloop has launched Giegel’s Garage – giving entrepreneurs the chance to spend 30 minutes virtually Josh to ask questions and bounce ideas around.

Virgin Hyperloop

To participate in #GiegelsGarage, start by following Josh Giegel on social media. Reply to @jgiegel with your idea on Twitter or post on LinkedIn tagging Josh and you may be chosen to spend 30 minutes with him.