Since 2013, Elon Musk and other tech moguls have promised futuristic hyperloops, enabling travel up to 750 mph in vacuum tubes. By 2023, not a single operational hyperloop exists, raising questions about the shift from passenger to cargo-focused hyperloops. Is it a financial issue or a deeper challenge involving human physiology, Earth’s surface, and the laws of physics?

The idea of high-speed, city-to-city travel isn’t new. Japan introduced the Shinkansen bullet train in 1964, but innovators like Musk deemed them too slow, leading to the hyperloop concept. Musk dubbed it the “Fifth Mode of Transportation,” following cars, ships, planes, and trains. Pneumatic tube transport (PTT), an old concept used for small packages, inspired the hyperloop.

Hyperloop’s challenges stem from physics and human limitations. The vacuum tubes and speeds of 750 mph create extreme G-forces, making travel uncomfortable and unsafe for humans. Existing Maglev trains, capped at 275 mph for passenger comfort, offer a safer alternative. Earth’s uneven terrain requires hyperloop tracks to navigate mountains, valleys, and other obstacles, significantly increasing construction costs.

Efforts to develop hyperloops for cargo, not passengers, reflect these challenges. Engineers and investors reconsidered the feasibility of long-distance, high-speed passenger travel. The Dubai to Abu Dhabi Hyperloop project failed due to these insurmountable hurdles.

Musk’s 2013 white paper on hyperloop technology remains open for improvement, acknowledging the need for breakthroughs to make the system viable, comfortable, safe, and cost-effective.