By
Bena Ilyas
April 23rd, 2024
Elon Musk achieves another goal. The Boring Company completed its second Las Vegas tunnel. This comes as Musk faces strong opposition from the authorities due to the reopening of the Tesla factory in Fremont.
Elon Musk has just completed his second Las Vegas tunnel. The Boring Company owned by Musk has drilled through a wall next to the Las Vegas convention center. This is a new milestone for both Musk and the Boring Company. It also comes as the serial entrepreneur has faced a series of difficult situations concerning Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) reopening its Fremont plant.
Elon Musk Gets Another Win with His Boring Company’s Tunnel
The Boring Company’s project stands to receive the second installment of $48.7 million in payments from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority. That is once this phase is complete.
Steve Hill, the authority’s chief executive officer said:
“From a construction standpoint, we’re comfortably in the schedule.”
He also indicated that Boring was “somewhat ahead”.
Steve expressed confidence that the transportation network will be open to the public by January next year.
The tunnels are a part of a greater extensive network of the Boring Company underground train system. The tunnels will connect the eastern edge of the center’s south hall to the western edge of a new building. A stop will serve the north and central exhibit halls.
The Boring Company is one of Elon Musk’s “AHA” ideas. He reportedly got the idea to build a transportation network that runs underground while he was sitting in Los Angeles traffic. His now-infamous tweet is the stuff of legend. The Boring Company built a 30ft wide, 50 ft long and 15 ft deep test trench at SpaceX headquarters.
The modified frameworks of Tesla Model 3 and Model X cars will carry up to 16 people through the tunnels.
Steve Hill had indicated that precautions were taken to prevent any of the workers contracting COVID-19. Temperature checks, social distancing, and masks were a part of the precautions for the workers.
The Las Vegas transit system of The Boring Company is expected to be online in January. This will be in time for the Consumer Electronics Show. The CES though may be postponed.
CES May Not Be Organized Because of COVID-19
This is because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other events across the world have either been postponed or have gone virtual. It remains unclear if the CES organizers will take either route.
The CES organizers have indicated though that plans will continue for the event. Arrangements because of the COVID-19 situation will continue. Such arrangements include spacing between seats among others.
Attendance of the event in person remains doubtful. Even if people attend, it will be in fewer numbers than previous events.
The Boring transportation system meets public safety standards. passengers will travel alone or in groups. Drivers will run the system for the time being. Later, autonomous driving systems will drive passengers in the system.
The Boring Company has to hit several milestones before it gets paid its next tranche. It has to get a temporary certificate of occupancy. The certificate has an October 1 deadline. getting a certificate will require Boring to complete the tunnel infrastructure and test run. After that, testing of the system and capacity utilization must ensue.
So far, the Boring Company has earned $15 million for the project.
Way to go, Elon!