Featured Image Source: The Boring Company
The Boring Company is building a set of underground high-speed transportation tunnels in Las Vegas, referred to as Loop. The Loop system will use Autonomous Electric Vehicles (AEV), these zero-emissions vehicles are modified Tesla cars that will transport passengers underground at up to 150 miles per hour. AEVs are made up of the Tesla Model S, Tesla Model 3, and a modified Tesla Model X that will be capable of transporting up to 16 passengers.
The first set of tunnels at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), were completed in mid-May. The two tunnels are one-mile long and adjacent to each other, connecting the LVCC’s New Exhibit Hall [West Hall] building to the South and North/Central Hall. Walk time between those two locations is 15 minutes, the Loop system will enable rapid 90-second arrival between those two destinations. City officials say convention attendees will be able to use the underground transportation system for free. Three stations are planned to offer access between LVCC locations and nearby destinations.
Coming soon pic.twitter.com/6nOgLix6b5
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 22, 2020
The Boring Company earned a contract to dig another tunnel. The Clark County Commission approved plans to expand the first set of tunnels at the Las Vegas Convention Center to include a new tunnel that will connect to the Resorts World Las Vegas Casino. Passengers will travel aboard the Tesla vehicles at high-speeds through the Las Vegas Loop tunnels to the casino, arriving in under 2 minutes. The Loop system could one day connect other destinations, including the McCarran International Airport, downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium, and even the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, according to concept maps by the company (pictured below). The President of Resorts World Las Vegas Casino, Scott Sibella, stated –
“We are thrilled to receive approval from the County Commission to move forward with our proposed passenger station and tunnel and are eager to take the next steps in creating an innovative transportation solution for our convention guests and visitors.”
The Boring Company aims to complete the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop by the end of this year to initiate operations in January 2021. The City of Las Vegas aims to welcome the CES 2021 technology conference by inaugurating the innovative transportation system. The Resorts World Las Vegas casino is still under construction and is scheduled to be completed by summer next year. Officials state the company will begin digging the new tunnel connection before this year ends.
About the Author
Evelyn Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
