Virgin Hyperloop One is taking its show on the road.

The Los Angeles-based company is currently visiting multiple cities across the country to showcase its XP-1 hyperloop pod, which completed the world's first full-system hyperloop test in 2017.

"It is not possible to take everybody out to see our facility so we thought, 'Why not bring hyperloop to them?'" Jay Walder, the CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, told Cheddar on Friday.

The company, whose test facility is in the Nevada desert, has already made stops in Ohio and Texas, and will visit cities in Kansas and Missouri next month.

Virgin Hyperloop One, which was developed by Virgin founder Richard Branson, is the first company to successfully operate a full-scale hyperloop vehicle system, which uses electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation in depressurized tubes to propel vehicles at hundreds of miles per hour.

Hyperloop pods "will float on a bed of air with magnetic levitation," Walder said.

During the XP-1's successful test in May 2017, the pod hit a record speed of 240 miles per hour on just 550 yards of track.

Already, nine states are exploring how hyperloop technology might be able to transform their urban transportation systems.

The federal government also recently established the Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council, which is mandated with identifying regulatory gaps and creating standards for implementing new types of high-tech transportation systems, such as hyperloop routes and autonomous vehicles.

"The reaction has been phenomenal," Walder said regarding the Virgin Hyperloop One's roadshow. The company's caravan, Walder said, was even pulled over during the drive to Ohio by curious police eager to get a closer look at the hyperloop pod.

In Texas, the company coordinated with the Dallas Cowboys and local governments to display the XP-1 at AT&T Stadium. The Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Transportation Council was at the presentation to evaluate how the technology might be used to connect Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and neighboring communities, Virgin Hyperloop One said.

When the roadshow arrives in Kansas City in September, the company will meet with local officials and host demonstrations for residents.

"There has been so much excitement and interest in this technology," Ryan Weber, the president of the KC Tech Council, said in a statement. "We know the Kansas City tech community and general public will be receptive to the demonstration and learning more details."

The 4,000 mile route that the company will complete includes 70 hours of driving, Virgin Hyperloop One said; with hyperloop, the same route would take six.

Share:
More In Technology
Stretching Your Dollar: Breaking Down EV Tax Credits
Paul Miller, certified public accountant and founder of Miller & Company LLP, joined Cheddar News to discuss what electric vehicle owners should know about tax credits and the new rules to qualify for them. "I would definitely make a phone call to your accountant ... to your CPA to ensure that you're getting the credit and it's applicable," he said.
Meta Opens VR App to Teens Despite Pushback From Critics
Meta is now allowing teenagers to access its virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, even as critics of the technology say it could have harmful consequences for mental health. Cheddar News Senior Reporter Michelle Castillo breaks down the announcement.
Load More