Richard Branson invests in Hyperloop One

quote:

---

Hypleroop One is rebranding itself as Virgin Hyperloop One, and Branson is joining the board, the billionaire British investor and entrepreneur announced Thursday on CNBC from London.

...Breaking ground on a commercial hyperloop in two to four years is possible if "governments move quickly," Branson said in a "Squawk Box" interview. So far, no government has approved a plan for a hyperloop system. The Virgin founder also said that building a hyperloop tube above or below ground is "cheaper" and "faster" than a traditional rail network.

...Appearing with Branson, Hyperloop One Chairman Shervin Pishevar told CNBC that with Virgin on board, the company will be able to "accelerate the commercialization process but also design the products with the consumer in mind." Pishevar, co-founder of Sherpa Capital, said Branson is a visionary in building great consumers experiences. After flying on Virgin Atlantic, Pishevar added, he "never saw air transport the same again."

"The customer experience of the pod is something that we definitely want to lean on Richard's and the Virgin Group's experience to create an experience when you walk into a hyperloop pod. ... You should feel comfortable. You should feel like you've been there before. This is not futuristic technology. This is happening now," Pishevar said. "It's [also] green and good for our planet."

---