North Carolina's high-tech Research Triangle may get even more advanced in years to come.

The Tar Heel State announced on Friday that it is exploring options to bring Virgin Hyperloop One technology to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill corridor, which has grown into a hub for technology companies and research universities.

"You can literally begin to start thinking about the cities like they're metro stops," Jay Walder, the CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, told Cheddar. North Carolina's inquiry makes it the ninth state to explore hyperloop as a potential regional transportation system.

"We have stopped our imagination somewhere around 1956, which is when the interstate highway system was created, and it is time to restart our imagination," Walder said.

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.

"Imagine being in a super-fast vehicle that is completely smooth, no turbulence moving at airline speed," Walder added.

Although still in its early stages, hyperloop technology is proving to be a far faster, safer, and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional forms of transportation, according to the company.

"The Research Triangle area is uniquely positioned from a technology focus, spatial layout, and favorable mid-East Coast location to benefit from a hyperloop travel solution that could quickly link America's R&D cities of Raleigh and Durham with each other and with neighboring regions in the southeast and mid-Atlantic," Joe Milazzo II, the executive director of North Carolina's Regional Transportation Alliance, said in a statement.

Trips between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill are expected to be under 10 minutes, according Virgin Hyperloop One's initial estimates.

"You can take it a step further — Raleigh-Durham to Washington DC it just over 35 minutes," Walder told Cheddar.

<i>Cheddar</i>
Share:
More In Technology
TikTok to Test Paid Subscription Model on Its Platform
TikTok recently announced that it is testing a paid subscription model. The news comes days after Instagram publicized a similar service. TikTok has made $2.3 billion from in-app purchases, but mostly through tips, in 2021, showing that its users may be open to spending money on the platform.
Why Netflix Stock Is Taking a Beating Despite Q4 Earnings Beat
Netflix beat its earnings projections for Q4 — but the stock still plummeted as the streaming pioneer cut back on its forecast for future subscribers. Michael Robinson, the chief technology strategist at Money Map Press, joined Cheddar to discuss the report and what's driving the downward pressure on its shares. "It's the growth is really what's worrying people," he said. "'A' we have slowing economic growth, and 'B' we've got slowing growth for this company, as 'C' we have an increase in competition."
Smartcar Raises $24 Million Series B to Expand Software Development Platform for Connected Cars
Connected cars software development platform Smartcar announced this week it has raised $24 million in a Series B round led by Energize Ventures. Smartcar's software can be integrated into mobile and web apps from mobility businesses. It allows users to do things like locate and unlock a vehicle, as well as check its mileage, fuel level, and battery if the vehicle is electric. Smartcar's technology is compatible with 22 different vehicle brands in 31 different countries. Smartcar co-founder and CEO Sahas Katta joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Load More