Putin Hopes to Bring Hyperloop to Russia

When Elon Musk first pitched Hyperloop, his high-speed mass transit system, back in 2013, it was considered a wild fantasy. Since 2014, though, this sci-fi concept has gained traction, with a test track now operating in Nevada. But, while Musk struggles to get US approval to fulfil his dream of building Hyperloop routes across the country – a proposed Los Angeles to San Francisco route has so far failed to materialise – Vladimir Putin is keen to get the hop on America and bring technology to Russia.

“He expressed big interest in this project and promised state backing for implementing it,” Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for President Putin, told Bloomberg.

One of the biggest obstacles that restricts Hyperloop is funding. The sheer expense of the operation is proving to be prohibitive in the US – the LA to San Francisco route would cost around $6 billion to build – an issue that the home of the oligarchs seems unconcerned with.

It appears likely that any Russian Hyperloop project would be co-funded by China as part of the $2 billion Russia-China Investment Fund. Already, the two countries have proposed the establishment of a New Silk Road (as in the ancient trade route, not the dark web black market).

Shervin Pishevar, friend of Musk and the man behind Hyperloop One, the first company to trial the technology, has already taken meetings with Putin in St. Petersburg.

“Putin said Hyperloop will fundamentally change the global economy,” Pishevar said.