How fast is SkyTran?
The usual proposed speed is 100 MPH in cities, and 150 MPH between cities. However, these speeds are not hard limits. Rather, it is a question of economics for travel, plus the length of exit and on ramps required. At 100 MPH, SkyTran is 10x more efficient than a typical car. Similar to most cars, SkyTran’s most efficient speed is about 55 to 60 mph (see efficiency page). However, SkyTran is not limited to any maximum speed – aerospace engineer Doug Malewicki says that with subtle modifications, SkyTran vehicles could carry passengers at 200 or 300 MPH. The main issue is the cost of the electricity to overcome aerodynamic drag, which increases as the square of the speed. So a 200-MPH SkyTran needs four times the electricity of 100 MPH, and a 300-MPH SkyTran needs nine times as much electricity per mile traveled. Even at 300-MPH, a SkyTran vehicle would use about the same energy as a typical car today traveling at freeway speeds. Also, the on-ramps and off-ramps merging to and from the
