Key takeaways from Elon Musk’s Boring Company information session

Elon Musk’s tunneling startup, aptly-named The Boring Company, recently held an information session. The event, which was held Thursday night at the Leo Baeck Temple in 1300 N Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, provided a number of insights about the Boring Co.’s initiatives in the LA area.

The information session was held by Elon Musk and SpaceX engineer Steven Davis, who was listed in the company’s recent SEC filing. Here are the key takeaways from information session.

• The Boring Co.’s tunnel boring machines are all-electric, making them 3x as powerful then conventional TBMs. Tesla batteries are used to power the machines, which eliminates the need for cabling.
• The Boring Company is aiming to drill and lay tunnel walls simultaneously while transporting dirt out. Battery electric locomotives, which are equipped with two Model 3 electric motors, are tasked to haul the dirt from the tunnels.
• Musk and Davis also discussed the Boring Bricks, interlocking bricks made from tunneling rock. Musk noted that the Boring Bricks, which could be used for affordable housing, are better than cinder blocks. Egyptian model kits, featuring designs like the Temple of Horus, will also be sold.

• The Urban Loop transit — electric pods that are designed for commuters — will cost $1 per ticket. The speed of the Urban Loop will be 150 mph, and will enable travel from DTLA to LAX in 8 minutes. Each pod can carry a maximum of 16 people.
• The Boring Co. tunnels will support Hyperloop technology as well. Just like the Urban Loop’s pods, Hyperloop pods will carry a maximum of 16 people. Hyperloop pods, however, will be much faster, traveling at 700 mph.
• The 2.7 proof-of-tunnel under Sepulveda Blvd. in LA will not be used for public transportation. There will be no street closures, nor any tunneling beneath any homes or businesses. Residents won’t “see, feel, or hear” any of the startup’s activities. Utility lines will be untouched by the project as well.
• The Boring Company will be working closely with Metro and LA. Musk stated that overall, “we want to connect with, and supplement transport systems” that are already in place.
• Rocket technology is being used to develop and build the Boring Co.’s tunnels, considering that a number of SpaceX engineers are working on the tunneling startup’s projects.
• Line-Storm, the company’s second tunnel boring machine, features improvements over Godot, its first TBM. According to Musk, Godot is a conventional TBM, while Line-Storm “essentially a hybrid between a proofrock, a machine designed fully by the Boring Co. to be 10x faster than conventional TBMs, and a conventional TBM.”
• The Boring Company will do a full Environmental Impact Report. Musk noted that the company does not “expect any issues with the EIR.” Musk, stated, however, that the EIR will likely take some time to do.
• There will be a party before the proof-of-concept tunnel’s launch.

The Boring Company came into fruition as Elon Musk’s way of alleviating the “soul-destroying” traffic that is prevalent in America’s streets. Just before the livestream, Elon Musk and LA Metro announced that the Boring Co.’s proof-of-concept tunnelling project will be going ahead as planned. A statement from LA Metro reads as follows.

“Metro leadership and CEO Phil Washington had a great meeting today with the talented staff of the Boring Company. They will coordinate with us as they move ahead with their proof-of-concept tunnel under Sepulveda Boulevard to ensure it doesn’t interfere with our Sepulveda Transit Corridor rail  project. We’ll be partners moving forward.”

Watch the Boring Company’s information session in the video below.

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