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SpaceX will host Hyperloop Pod Competition next week, Jan 27-29, 2017

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Hyperloop test track outside of SpaceX
SpaceX Hyperloop Test Track (Jan.7, 2017) [Source: Teslarati via Marco Papa]

Get ready to see Hyperloop concept pods fire through the 1-mile test track located outside of SpaceX and Tesla’s Design Studio in Hawthorne, California, next week between January 27-29. Elon Musk and SpaceX first unveiled the idea for a new high-speed ground transport system called the Hyperloop on August 12, 2013 with the publication of a white paper, the Hyperloop Alpha Preliminary Design Study. SpaceX’s sponsored Hyperloop Pod Competition is an incentive prize competition created to inspire university students and independent engineering teams to design and build a subscale prototype transport vehicle (a “Hyperloop pod”) that will demonstrate technical feasibility of various aspects of the high speed transportation concept. To support this competition, SpaceX has constructed a test track outside of its headquarters which we had the opportunity to see during early construction last year.

There are three judging phases in the Hyperloop Pod competition: a design competition that was held in January 2016 and an on-track competition to be held January 27–29, 2017 (Competition Weekend I), followed by a Summer 2017 (Competition Weekend II). The original specification for the Competition Basic for the Design Weekend and the competition Weekend I, though no longer available at SpaceX, can still be found online.

DESIGN WEEKEND

The Design weekend was held in January 2016 at Texas A&M University. Awards were given in three categories:

SUBSYSTEM

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Best Overall Subsystem Award: Auburn University | Auburn University Hyperloop Team.

DESIGN ONLY

Top Design Concept Award: Universitat Politècnica de Valencia | Makers UPV Team

DESIGN AND BUILD CATEGORY OVERALL

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MIT Hyperloop Team

MIT Hyperloop Team’s design was awarded the “Best Overall Design Award”, among the 23 designs selected to move to the prototype stage. The design proposes a 250 kg (551 lb) pod with a carbon fiber and polycarbonate sheet exterior. It is elevated by a passive magnetic levitation system comprising 20 neodymium magnets that will maintain a 15 mm (0.6 in) distance above the track. The team says with air pressure at 140 Pascals, the pod could accelerate at 2.4 G and have 2 Newton aerodynamic drag when traveling at 110 m/s. The design includes a fail-safe braking system that automatically halts the pod should the actuators or computers fail, and low speed emergency drive wheels that can move the pod 1 m/s. Delft Hyperloop received a “Pod Innovation Award”, while Badgerloop at University of Wisconsin, Madison, Hyperloop at Virginia Tech, and HyperXite at UC Irvine each received a “Pod Technical Excellence Award.” The full list of Awards and news clips from the Design Weekend can be found at the Texas A&M University Engineering web site. Besides the winning teams, several other teams were invited to compete in the upcoming Competition Weekend I from the Design and Build category:

  • rLoop (Non-student team)
  • University of Waterloo | uWaterloo Hyperloop
  • University of Washington | UWashington Hyperloop
  • University of Toronto | University of Toronto
  • University of Maryland and Rutgers University | RUMD Loop
  • University of Florida | GatorLoop
  • University of of Colorado, Denver | Team HyperLynx
  • University of Cincinnati | Hyperloop UC
  • University of California, Santa Barbara | UCSB Hyperloop
  • University of California, Berkeley | bLoop
  • Texas A&M University | TAMU Aerospace Hyperloop
  • Technical University of Munich | WARR Hyperloop
  • Purdue University | Purdue Hyperloop Design Team
  • Oral Roberts University | Codex
  • Lehigh University | Lehigh Hyperloop
  • Keio University | Keio Alpha
  • Drexel University | Drexel Hyperloop
  • Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon Hyperloop

In February 3, 2016 eight more teams advanced to Competition Weekend I.

  • Cornell University + Harvey Mudd College + University of Michigan + Northeastern University + Memorial University of Newfoundland(Canada) + Princeton University | OpenLoop
  • Louisiana State University | Bayou Bengals
  • New York University | NYU Hyperloop
  • RMIT University | VicHyper
  • John’s High School | HyperLift
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Illini Hyperloop
  • University of Southern California | USC Hyperloop
  • University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee | Mercury Three

In the end, 30 of the 115 teams that submitted designs in January 2016 were selected to build hardware to compete in Competition Weekend I. There were more than 1,000 applicants at earlier stages of the competition.

JUDGING CRITERIA

Originally, the second Phase of the competition was supposed to involve competitive runs in the Hyperloop test track to be awarded based on various classes (fully functional pod, susbsystem test pod, etc.) and pod mass. This phase of the competition was renamed“Competition Weekend I,” when SpaceX added a third phase of the competition, Competition Weekend II. The original SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition – Rules and Requirements for Weekend I  can be seen at the end of this article. We’ve embedded a copy of the original document from SpaceX.

The Judging Criteria are listed in the document, and involve scoring in 4 different categories, for a maximum overall total of 2500 points.

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  • Category 1: Final Design and Construction (500 points)
  • Category 2: Safety and Reliability (500 points)
  • Category 3: Performance in Operations (500 points)
  • Category 4: Performance in Flight (1000 points)

Competition Weekend I Judging Criteria – Source: SpaceX

HYPERLOOP TEST TRACK

AECOM, a company that has designed and built some of the world’s most impressive transportation systems, was selected to design and build the world’s first Hyperloop test track as part of the pod competition hosted by SpaceX

SpaceX Hyperloop Test Track (Jan.7, 2017) [Source: Teslarati via Marco Papa]

The track is a straight one-mile run on Jack Northrop Avenue, between Crenshaw Blvd. and Prairie Ave. The SpaceX Hyperloop test track — or Hypertube — was designed in 2015 and was constructed in the fall 2016, reaching its full length of one mile by October 2016. The test track’s six-foot diameter steel tube includes a non-magnetic sub-track and said to be capable of achieving 99.8 percent vacuum. The test track itself is also a prototype, where SpaceX anticipates learning from the design, build process and evaluates how to apply automated construction techniques to future Hyperloop tracks.

The Hypertube test track is designed to enable competitors who implement a wide array of designs and build pods that will test a variety of subsystem technologies that are important to new vehicle transport systems. This will include Hyperloop-specific pods—with air-bearing suspension and low-pressure compressor designs—as well as wheeled vehicle and magnetic levitation rail designs that will support a wide array of vehicle technologies to be tested. While the Design Weekend held at Texas A&M University was open to the public, it is unclear if the Competition Weekend I will be as well, or if it will be an invitation only event like many of the SpaceX and Tesla events. Several inquiries for tickets posted to the Twitter account of the Hyperloop Pod Competition went unanswered. The Official SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition page does not shed any light on who will be able to attend either.

HYPERLOOP POD COMPETITION II

According to SpaceX, “based on the high-quality submissions and overwhelming enthusiasm surrounding the competition, SpaceX is moving forward with a second installment of the competition: Hyperloop Pod Competition II, which will culminate in a second competition in Summer 2017 at SpaceX’s Hyperloop test track. Hyperloop Competition II will be focused on a single criterion: maximum speed. The second competition is open to new student teams interested in competing on the test track, as well as to existing student teams who have already built and tested Pods to further refine their designs.” The Competition Weekend II event will be held in the Summer 2017 at the same SpaceX Hyperloop test track.

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/spacex-hyperloop-competition-rules.pdf”]

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Tesla Cybercab spotted next to Model Y shows size comparison

The Model Y is Tesla’s most-popular vehicle and has been atop the world’s best-selling rankings for the last three years. The Cybercab, while yet to be released, could potentially surpass the Model Y due to its planned accessible price, potential for passive income for owners, and focus on autonomy.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

The Tesla Cybercab and Tesla Model Y are perhaps two of the company’s most-discussed vehicles, and although they are geared toward different things, a recent image of the two shows a side-by-side size comparison and how they stack up dimensionally.

The Model Y is Tesla’s most-popular vehicle and has been atop the world’s best-selling rankings for the last three years. The Cybercab, while yet to be released, could potentially surpass the Model Y due to its planned accessible price, potential for passive income for owners, and focus on autonomy.

Geared as a ride-sharing vehicle, it only has two seats. However, the car will be responsible for hauling two people around to various destinations completely autonomously. How they differ in terms of size is striking.

Tesla Cybercab includes this small but significant feature

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In a new aerial image shared by drone operator and Gigafactory Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer, the two vehicles were seen side by side, offering perhaps the first clear look at how they differ in size.

Dimensionally, the differences are striking. The Model Y stretches roughly 188 inches long, 75.6 inches wide, excluding its mirrors, and stands 64 inches tall on a 113.8-inch wheelbase. The Cybercab measures approximately 175 inches in length, about a foot shorter, and just 63 inches wide.

That narrower stance gives the Cybercab a dramatically more compact silhouette, making it easier to maneuver in tight urban environments and park in standard spaces that would feel cramped for the Model Y. Height is also lower on the Cybercab, contributing to its sleek, coupe-like profile versus the Model Y’s taller crossover shape.

Visually, the contrast is unmistakable. The Model Y presents as a family-friendly SUV with conventional doors, a prominent hood, and a spacious glass roof.

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The Cybercab eliminates the steering wheel and pedals entirely, creating a clean, futuristic cabin that feels more lounge than cockpit.

Its doors open in a distinctive, wide-swinging motion, and the body features smoother, more aerodynamic lines optimized for autonomy. Parked beside a Model Y, the Cybercab appears almost toy-like in width and length, yet its low-slung stance and minimalist design emphasize agility over bulk.

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Cargo capacity tells another part of the story. The Model Y offers generous real-world utility: 4.1 cubic feet in the front trunk and 30.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 72 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.

It comfortably swallows groceries, luggage, or sports equipment for five passengers. The Cybercab, designed for two riders, trades that volume for targeted efficiency.

It features a rear hatch with enough space for two carry-on suitcases and personal items, plenty for the typical robotaxi trip, while maintaining impressive legroom and headroom for its occupants.

In short, the Model Y prioritizes versatility and family hauling with its larger footprint and abundant storage. The Cybercab sacrifices size for simplicity, cost, and urban nimbleness.

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At roughly 12 inches shorter and 12 inches narrower, it embodies Tesla’s vision for scalable, affordable autonomy: smaller on the outside, smarter inside, and ready to redefine how we move through cities.

The Cybercab and Model Y both will contribute to Tesla’s fully autonomous future. However, the size comparison gives a good look into how the vehicles are the same, and how they differ, and what riders should anticipate as the Cybercab enters production in the coming weeks.

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Elon Musk says Tesla is developing a new vehicle: ‘Way cooler than a minivan’

It sounds as if Tesla could be considering a new vehicle to fit the mold of what a larger family would need, and as fans have been demanding it for several years and the company is phasing out the Model X, its only family-geared vehicle, it sounds as if it could be the perfect time.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company is developing a new vehicle, and it will be “way cooler than a minivan.”

It sounds as if Tesla could be considering a new vehicle to fit the mold of what a larger family would need, and as fans have been demanding it for several years and the company is phasing out the Model X, its only family-geared vehicle, it sounds as if it could be the perfect time.

There are a handful of things Musk could be talking about, and as many Tesla owners have wanted a vehicle along the lines of a minivan for hauling around their family, speculation has persisted about what the company would do in terms of developing something for that exact use case.

There were several options, and some of them seemed to be already available. Musk posted on X yesterday that the Cybertruck has three sets of isofix attachments and could fit three child seats or three adults, and it seemed to be a way to deflect plans for a new, larger vehicle as a Model Y L appeared to be present at Giga Texas.

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There is also the Robovan, the large people mover that Tesla unveiled at the “We, Robot” back in 2024.

However, it seems Tesla could be developing something like a CyberSUV, something that is going to be large enough to haul around a car full of kids, but could be developed with the company’s aesthetic of the company’s most recent releases: this would likely include a light bar and a more sleek, futuristic look.

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We’ve mocked up some potential looks for Tesla’s speculative vehicle in the past:

Tesla has teased the potential of a CyberSUV in the past, showing off clay models that it developed back in September in a teaser video called “Sustainable Abundance.”

Tesla appears to be mulling a Cyber SUV design

Fans and owners have been calling for this development for a very long time, and it seems like Tesla might be ready to finally answer the call on a large SUV. With the segment being dominated by combustion engine vehicles, Tesla could truly disrupt the large SUVs that have been mainstays.

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The Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon would feel some additional pressure, and it would be possible for Tesla to infiltrate some of those sales and pull consumers to electric powertrains.

As the Model S and Model X sunset process is truly hitting full swing, it might be time to consider Tesla’s next option in terms of vehicle development.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s $10 Trillion robot: Inside Tesla’s push to mass produce Optimus

Tesla’s surging Optimus job listings reveal a company sprinting from prototype to one million robot production.

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Tesla is accelerating its push to bring the Optimus humanoid robot to high volume production, and its recent job listings tells the story as clearly as any earnings call.

With well over 100 Optimus related job openings now posted across its U.S. facilities, Tesla is signaling a critical pivot for the program, moving it from a captivating tech demo to a serious manufacturing endeavor. Roles span the full spectrum of the product lifecycle, from Robotics Software Engineers and Manufacturing Engineers to Mechanical Integration Engineers and AI Engineers focused on world modeling and video generation. One active listing for a Software Engineer on the Optimus team asks candidates to build scalable and reliable data pipelines for Optimus manufacturing lines and develop automation tools that accelerate analysis and visualization for mass manufacturing.

Tesla is racing toward a one million unit annual production target. The clearest signal yet that Tesla is treating Optimus as its primary business came on January 28, 2026, during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call. Musk announced that Tesla is ending production of the Model S and Model X, and will repurpose those lines at its Fremont, California factory to build Optimus humanoid robots.

A production intent prototype of Optimus Version 3 is planned to be ready in early 2026, after which Tesla intends to build a one million unit production line with a targeted production start by the end of 2026. To support that ramp, Tesla broke ground on a massive new Optimus manufacturing facility at Gigafactory Texas in late 2025, with ambitions to eventually reach 10 million units per year.

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Tesla Giga Texas to feature massive Optimus V4 production line

The business case for scaling this aggressively is rooted in labor economics. Musk has stated that “Optimus has the potential to be the biggest product of all time,” reasoning that if Tesla can produce capable humanoid robots at scale and reasonable cost, every task currently performed by human labor becomes a potential application. In a separate statement, Musk framed Optimus’s long term importance even more bluntly, saying it could surpass Tesla’s vehicle business in scale with the potential to generate $10 trillion in revenue.

The industries Tesla is targeting first are those most burdened by repetitive physical labor. Early applications include manufacturing assembly, material handling and quality inspection, as well as logistics tasks like loading, unloading, sorting, and transporting goods in warehouses and distribution centers. Longer term, Tesla’s vision is for Optimus to penetrate household, medical, and logistics scenarios at the scale of a smartphone rollout.

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