100 Miles in 12 Minutes? Thanks to Hyperloop One and Dubai, It's Happening

A new deal for a new system

Just last month, Hyperloop One received a huge investment to bring Elon Musk's futuristic transportation pods to Dubai. This week, Hyperloop One revealed a new system that shows what it would really be like to ride the hyperloop. And to top it off, the company signed a new deal for a working hyperloop system.

According to a statement by the company:

CEO Rob Lloyd signed the deal with His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA).

Full passenger and cargo

Prior to Tuesday's big announcement, Hyperloop One has been revealing snippets of what it would actually be like to have the futuristic pods in Dubai. Now we know the company plans to implement a full-blown hyperloop system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fze5spdN3nU&feature=youtu.be

Unlike previous plans, the new system features full passenger and cargo integration. The main hyperloop pod breaks down into smaller pods for both people and cargo. Passenger pods come in coach, lounge, and meeting room versions. More interesting still, these smaller pods are capable of road travel.

The smaller pods converge at huge terminals, which the company calls "hyperloop portals." These portals would be located in areas like the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Marina — with design concepts already available.

Apart from significantly cutting travel time, the hyperloop is also playing a major role in building the future's megacities, as evident in Hyperloop One's new system. While there still isn't an exact date as to when this will be fully functional, it seems likely that it'll be in Dubai — which continues on its path to be the city of the future.