It's 2030 and many countries in Europe have banned the sale of fossil-fueled cars and electric cars are cheaper and outperforming traditional cars in almost every respect. Virgin Hyperloop has just launched its first Hyperloop track adding a fifth mode of transport. While driverless taxis are becoming ever more common in major cities.
It's 2040 and only aging older cars on the roads that are gasoline or diesel-powered with no one buying them anymore. Hyperloop tubes are being rolled out in many major routes and drivers in taxis are a thing of the past. Additionally, flights are supersonic. But is this really the likely reality of the future of travel?
Supersonic Aircraft
It seems that supersonic aircraft are really coming back by 2030. Just a few months ago the airliner United placed their order for 15 of the company Boom's new supersonic aircraft destined to be the first passenger supersonic aircraft since the retirement of the Concorde.
It should be noted that the new aircraft has not actually been built and tested yet and Boom is only planning to get it in the air and to test it by 2026.
But still, investors like United are now confident enough in it to have placed a multi-billion dollar order for the aircraft. United plans to "return supersonic speeds to aviation" in the year 2029.
- Date: Currently Planned for 2029
At first, these supersonic flights are to be very expensive (perhaps the price of regular business class tickets). But Boom's long-term vision is very ambitious. Their long-term goal is to be able to fly anywhere in the world in 4 hours and for only $100!
- Longterm Goal: Fly Anywhere In 4 Hours and For $100
Hyperloop - More Than a Pipe Dream
When Elon Musk first unveiled his vision of a new "fifth" mode of transport that he dubbed the "Hyperloop" ten years ago, much of the world was skeptical or outright dismissive. The Hyperloop is an ambitious vision that could transform travel around the nation and beyond
But since then a decade of research of development and countless millions of dollars have poured into the project. Dozens of companies around the world are hard at work making this pipe dream of a Hyperloop into reality. And now more than ever, it seems that it really is a viable technology and new records are being broken all the time - the first human trials were held over a year ago.
But that being said, it remains a number of years off. But if things do go to plan, it may yet become reality before 2030. Virgin Hyperloop is planning to begin commercial operations by 2030.
- Plan: To Begin Commerical Operations By 2030
- Current Record: 463 km/h or 288 mph By The Technical University of Munich in July 2019
Virgin Hyperloop says on its website:
"We're building for fast, effortless journeys that expand possibilities. Our system can propel passenger or cargo pods at speeds of over 1000 km/h. That is 3x faster than high-speed rail and more than 10x faster than traditional rail."
Electric Vehicles - The Car of The Future
The development of electric vehicles is progressing at break-neck speed. In just 3 years, the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered cars (including hybrids) will be banned in Norway. Many other countries are set to follow by 2030 and more in 2035. By 2040 the internal combustion engine will be virtually assigned to history in regular passenger cars.
- Norway: Ban on New Fossil Fuel Sales By 2025
- Washington State: Ban On New Fossil Fuel Sales by 2030
So fast are electric cars progressing that it is likely that by 2030 gasoline and diesel cars will be staring down the barrel of obsolescence. Currently, Washington State has the earliest state ban in the USA and is planning to ban them by 2030, and California is set to follow by 2035.
Range anxiety has already been overcome in high-end vehicles:
- Mercedes EQS: 640 KM (395 Miles)
- Lucid Air: 630 KM (390 Miles - 406 Miles on Their Website)
- Tesla Model S: 585 KM (360 Miles)
Driverless Taxis - Rototaxis
These are sure to become common by 2030 and there are countless companies investing billions into developing the technology. There are many trials happening around the world and in the United States. In Phoneix, one can already hail a driverless taxi as part of Waymo's (Google's) pilot program there. Dubai is now set to have driverless taxis by 2023.
- Dubai: Getting Driverless Taxis By 2023
The technology for autonomous driving is here - that is not really the issue. Instead, there are many legal and other complications that need to get ironed out. Many of the new high-end cars (like Telsas and Rivian's new R1T) can almost drive themselves.
In the future, there will be no more taxi drivers. Just hail on the app and away you go.