Interview: Hyperloop One wants to make world "smaller" through high speed transport system

Hyperloop One is aspiring to convince countries around the world that a futuristic transport system could carry passengers and things in "hyperpods" at plane-like speed.

U.S. startup Hyperloop One revealed on Thursday at Web Summit that it is working with the Finnish and Dutch governments to gain an approval for its plans for a high-speed transportation system.

"We are creating a high speed backbone for future mobility," Josh Giegel, Hyperloop One Co-Founder, told Xinhua on Thursday.

"So just like Uber has tied together an intercity (drives), what if that could get you between cities extremely fast," he explained.

"I could get an airplane between two cities, but I would have to go to the airport, wait for two hours. So this would not only cut the journey time but also the waiting time," he added.

Hyperloop One will travel at over 1,100 km an hour, faster than a plane, Giegel told Xinhua.

The man behind the idea is the founder of Space X and Tesla, Elon Musk.

Headquartered in Los Angeles and employing over 200 people, Hyperloop has raised over 200 million dollars in two years.

"I hope to prove that this technology works and that it can be made more cost-effective," Giegel said.

A successful test of the technology was carried out in the Nevada desert in May, but the full scale test is set to take place in early 2017.

Hyperloop One, which its founders refer to as "the next broadband" would work by propelling pods at high speeds through a tube.

"It is a smooth experience that will feel like an elevator ride," Giegel explained to the audience at Web Summit.

"Hyperloop One is a transportation system we want to spread around the world and make the world a smaller place," co-founder Shervin Pishevar said during a conference at Web Summit.

"If we can work together and our economies become more tied together that is probably the best contribution our generation can make." Endit