Virgin Hyperloop, the company behind the long-gestating vacuum train concept, has released a concept video showing the most detailed presentation yet of what the high-speed transit system might actually look like.
The two and a half minute video shows slick 3D renderings populated with photorealistic passengers of what the Hyperloop's stations and train cars might look like.
"I think one of the things that was really paramount to me was to acknowledge that designing the first new mode of transportation in over a hundred years is a huge opportunity, but it's also a huge responsibility," Sara Luchian, director of passenger experience at Virgin Hyperloop, told Cheddar.
She explained that the video was crafted to shift public perception away from the "cold, grey, grim, dystopian" imagery that Virgin Hyperloop has presented in the past and "embrace a much warmer, friendlier, more welcoming, and human-centric vision of transportation that is yet to come but just years away."
The concept video shows passengers boarding individual "tubes" featuring arrival times displayed digitally on the backs of seats, automatic phone-charging panels, and a bird's-eye view of elevated tracks spanning coastlines, mountain ranges, and urban centers. Notably, there's a shot of a highly-visible speedometer showing the tube reaching 670 miles per hour.
As for when the Hyperloop will start shuttling actual passengers, Luchian said much depends on when it can secure regulatory approvals and partnerships, but the goal is the end of the decade.
"One of my favorite things about this job is being able to tell people it's coming in years, not decades," she said.
In the meantime, Virgin Hyperloop has announced the establishment of its Hyperloop Certification Center in West Virginia, where it plans to build a six-mile tube for testing and safety certification. The company is aiming for full regulatory approval within the next five years.
Where the first completed systems will be built is still up in the air, but Luchian said there is interest all over the world.
One factor that will inform the system's roll-out is making sure the Hyperloop is a "mass transportation" system, she added. "It's not meant to be a solution for, you know, petulant billionaires trying to go from one chalet to their mansion."
As a result, Hyperloop will seek investment from both private and public sources, with an eye toward making the system affordable wherever it ends up being built.
"More than anything, we need this to be first safe but of course affordable, and that accessibility is one of the most important things," Luchian said.
Tax season is now underway, and it's going to be a bit different than in years past. For starters, the deadline is April 18, instead of the typical April 15th, and many Americans will need to account for advance child tax credit payments, the return of the recovery rebate credit, and a special break for charitable contributions, among other things. Brent Weiss, Co-Founder and certified financial planner at Facet Wealth, tells us what we need to know about filing our taxes this year, and when we can expect to receive our returns.
American semiconductor company, Intel officially announcing plans to build a new $20 billion chip manufacturing complex outside Columbus, Ohio. This comes as the global chip shortage continues to hamper production of everything from smart phones, to cars. Jennifer Smith - Logistics and Supply Chain Reporter, WSJ joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Verizon and AT&T officially launched their 5G wireless services Wednesday across the U.S. Despite pushback from U.S. airlines and the FAA over safety concerns, the telecom giants rolled out the next generation of wireless cellular technology, with speeds up to 20 times faster than 4G LTE. John Biggs, Editor, Tech Crunch joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Earnings season kicks into high gear this week as big players are on tap to report their Q4 numbers, including Microsoft, Apple, and Tesla. Investors will be watching for key indicators on how the companies are dealing with inflation, Omicron and interest rates. Christine Short, VP of Research, Wall Street Horizon joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Stan Farnsworth, chief marketing officer at PulseForge, joined Cheddar to talk about his company's debut at CES 2022 and how it plans to innovate the sustainable tech manufacturing space. PulseForge is bringing a new approach to industrial thermal processing, which contributes to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Farnsworth. "By using 85 percent less energy in the processing of materials through a variety of manufacturing processes, we can make a direct impact in reducing carbon output and reducing carbon footprint associated with manufacturing," he said.
Oliver Chen, senior retail analyst at Cowen, joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to discuss the latest details about department store chain Kohl's after it received at least two offers from buyers to take the company private. Chen stated that Kohl's is an attractive landing spot for prospective buyers because of its premium real estate and undervalued stock prices. He also noted that despite the rise in online shopping, there is still room for brick and mortar shops to flourish. "We're very bullish on bricks meets clicks. The integration of stores and digital," Chen told Cheddar. "People love to return items in stores, people love the treasure hunt of shopping and the convenience and immediacy of stores."
