Tesla cars riding electric-powered tracks? Forget about it, at least for now. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and founder of The Boring Company, says pedestrians and cyclists will be the first users of his underground transit tunnels and Hyperloop tubes.
In a series of Friday afternoon tweets, Musk said “all tunnels and Hyperloop will prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars.”
“Will still transport cars, but only after personalized mass transit needs are met,” he explained. “It’s a matter of courtesy and fairness. If someone can’t afford a car, they should go first.”
Which means Tesla might well get into the mini-bus business, adding a new electric-powered vehicle to its line of sedans, sports cars and trucks.
Better video coming soon, but it would look a bit like this: pic.twitter.com/C0iJPi8b4U
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2018
Boring Co urban loop system would have 1000’s of small stations the size of a single parking space that take you very close to your destination & blend seamlessly into the fabric of a city, rather than a small number of big stations like a subway
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2018
I guess you could say it’s a 150 mph, underground, autonomous, electric bus that automatically switches between tunnels and lifts. So, yes, a bus.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2018
The shift in focus shows that Musk’s tunnel vision — which ranks right up there with his visions of solar-electric power grids, self-driving electric cars and spaceships that’ll help make humanity a multiplanet species — is still in flux.
That may be due to the fact that The Boring Company is getting involved in real-world transit projects now — including an experimental tunnel to LAX; an underground route between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore (and eventually New York City); and a high-speed link from downtown Chicago to O’Hare.
Those projects don’t make sense if all you’re doing is moving cars between congested urban cores with expensive parking. Instead, Musk is adjusting to the coming age of ride-share and driverless ride-hailing services, when there may not be a car in every garage.
It’s serious stuff, but Musk isn’t above having a little fun with the refocused concept, just as he did in January when he announced that The Boring Company would be selling flamethrowers on the side.
can we take the flamethrowers down there
— abdul (@Advil) March 9, 2018
Definitely
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2018
Tunnels
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2018
anything is possible if you really believe in yourself buddy
— abdul (@Advil) March 10, 2018
No, it’s not
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2018
