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Elon Musk Offers To Build NYC-to-London Tunnel for $20B
“If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big!”
That’s a quote from Donald J. Trump in his best-selling book “The Art of the Deal”.
And it looks like Elon Musk has certainly taken that to heart over the course of his life….thinking big for Elon is an understatement!
Who would have ever thought they could take on all the major car companies….and win?
Or just start launching rockets into Space?
Or drill massive tunnels under the Earth for things like a Hyperloop?
For anyone not named Elon Musk, almost none of these things would be achievable.
But for Elon Musk, he’s done them all…and he’s still thinking big.
The latest comes as Elon proposed this morning to build a tunnel from NYC to London, do it for $20B, and the best of all….he promises the ride will be 54 minutes!
It all started with this post from DailyLoud, writing about a proposed $20 Trillion tunnel:
Proposed $20 Trillion tunnel would get you from New York to London in 54 minutes. pic.twitter.com/hUMRJcjK5y
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) December 9, 2024
That’s kind of silly and something that likely will never happen, considering that $20 trillion is essentially all of the M1 circulating supply of US Dollars right now.
But things got interesting when Elon replied saying The Boring Company could do it for $20 Billion.
The @boringcompany could do it for 1000X less money https://t.co/IXJY63xUCo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 10, 2024
That’s how the math works out, 1000x less than $20 trillion is $20 billion.
So….how would it work?
Elon didn’t elaborate on details, but the tunnel would seemingly be going UNDER the Atlantic Ocean, since that’s what The Boring Company does…it bores tunnels.
There would be no need to use The Boring Company if you were going to go THROUGH the Ocean, so we have to start with the assumption we’re going under the Ocean. Wow!
And is that even feasible?
Actually, yes!
Here are more details:
To dig a tunnel connecting New York City and London, you would need to consider several factors:
Distance and Path:
The straight-line distance between New York City and London is approximately 5,585 kilometers (3,470 miles). However, a tunnel would not follow a straight line due to the curvature of the Earth and the need to avoid the deepest parts of the ocean.
Depth and Ocean Floor:
The Atlantic Ocean between these two points includes the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, but the depth here isn’t uniform. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is about 3,646 meters (11,962 feet). However, you would want to avoid the deepest parts where possible, like the Puerto Rico Trench, which can go as deep as 8,605 meters (28,232 feet).
Curvature of the Earth:
A straight tunnel would follow the chord of the Earth’s curvature but would still need to be deep enough to go under the ocean’s bed. A simplified calculation for the depth considering Earth’s curvature for such a distance would involve:
Earth’s radius: 6,371 km
Chord length: 5,585 km
Using the chord length and the Earth’s radius, the depth of the tunnel below the surface at its lowest point can be approximated with:
Depth=R−R2−(L2)2
where
R
is the Earth’s radius, and
L
is the chord length:
Depth≈6371−63712−(55852)2≈6371−6344≈27 km(16.7 miles)
However, this calculation doesn’t account for the actual ocean floor topography or the need to maintain a reasonable gradient for construction.
Practical Considerations:
To make such a tunnel feasible, it would likely follow a path that’s shallower than this calculated depth for much of its route but still deep enough to pass under the ocean floor. This would mean digging to depths likely between 2 to 5 kilometers (1.24 to 3.1 miles) below sea level for significant portions of the route, considering the bathymetry of the Atlantic.
Under the Ocean:
Yes, the tunnel would have to go under the ocean to create a direct route. The idea would be to follow paths where the ocean floor is not at its deepest or where geological features like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge could provide some natural support or less challenging terrain.
In summary, while a tunnel would need to be deep – likely several kilometers below sea level – the exact depth would vary along the route, aiming for a balance between feasibility, safety, and economic viability. Such a project would also face numerous engineering, environmental, and geopolitical challenges.
It would not be without risk, as the tunnel would need special pressurization to withstand the atmospheric pressures of being that deep.
And one small crack or mishap and, well, do you remember how that Submarine imploded a while ago? Yeah, this would be even deeper:
Traveling through a tunnel from New York City to London would indeed involve dealing with significant atmospheric pressures due to the depth and the change in elevation. Here’s how this would work:
Pressure at Depth:
The pressure underwater increases by about 1 atmosphere (atm) for every 10 meters (33 feet) of depth. If the tunnel were to go to depths of several kilometers, the pressure would be immense:
At 2 kilometers depth, the pressure would be roughly 201 atmospheres (200 additional atmospheres from the water plus 1 atmosphere at sea level).
At 5 kilometers, this would increase to around 501 atmospheres.
This is far beyond the pressure humans can survive without specialized equipment, which means:
Pressure Equalization:
The tunnel would need to be completely sealed off from the surrounding seawater, creating an environment where the internal pressure could be maintained close to atmospheric pressure at sea level. This would involve:
A robust, pressure-resistant structure for the tunnel itself.
Air locks or pressure chambers at entry and exit points to manage the transition from surface pressure to tunnel pressure.
Air Composition and Circulation:
The air inside the tunnel would need to be carefully managed:
Air composition would need to be controlled to maintain breathable levels of oxygen and manage CO2, humidity, and other gases.
Ventilation systems would be essential to circulate air and remove heat generated by both the tunnel infrastructure and travelers.
Travel Conditions:
Even if the internal pressure of the tunnel is kept at or near 1 atm, the transition into and out of the tunnel would involve pressure changes, which would need to be gradual to prevent decompression sickness (the bends) or barotrauma. This might involve:
Staged decompression or compression chambers.
Travel systems (like trains or pods) designed to handle these pressure changes smoothly.
Safety and Engineering:
The design would have to consider the structural integrity of the tunnel under such extreme external pressures, including:
Material choice for withstanding pressure and corrosion from seawater.
Continuous monitoring and maintenance to ensure no leaks or structural failures occur.
Human Comfort:
Beyond pressure, there would be considerations for human comfort like temperature control, noise reduction, and vibration dampening, which become more challenging at such depths.
In essence, while the atmospheric pressure inside the tunnel could be maintained at livable levels, the engineering required to construct and operate such a tunnel would be incredibly complex, focusing heavily on pressure management, structural integrity, and safety systems to protect travelers from the extraordinary external pressures of the deep ocean.
Now, once you have a functional tube how do you move fast enough to make the trip 54 minutes?
That’s where another Elon Musk creation comes in…..the Hyperloop.
Here’s a video from Elon in 2017:
Hyperloop pod run by team WARR pic.twitter.com/ntaMsoxkZE
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 28, 2017
And proving they haven’t given up on it, here is The Boring Company ins 2022 announcing full scale testing is underway:
Full-scale Hyperloop Testing has begun pic.twitter.com/cDUD1PEfkD
— The Boring Company (@boringcompany) November 5, 2022
Virgin is also working on their own version of a Hyperloop:
Virgin is working to elevate hyperloop travel by 2030 pic.twitter.com/wdNn6BhRIh
— Mashable (@mashable) November 28, 2024
Here’s how the Hyperloop works:
Elon Musk’s concept for the Hyperloop, originally outlined in a 2013 white paper by Musk and engineers from SpaceX and Tesla, is essentially a high-speed transportation system designed to move passenger or cargo pods through low-pressure tubes at near-supersonic speeds. While Musk himself has not commercialized a Hyperloop product through his own companies, the idea has inspired multiple independent companies to pursue working prototypes.
Key Principles Behind the Hyperloop:
Reduced Air Resistance:
A major barrier to achieving very high speeds on land is air resistance. The Hyperloop’s tubes are designed to operate at extremely low air pressure—close to a near-vacuum. By pumping most of the air out of the sealed tube, the pods inside experience far less aerodynamic drag. Lower drag means the pod requires less energy to accelerate and can maintain very high speeds (theoretically over 700 mph or about 1,100 km/h) with minimal continuous energy input.
Friction Reduction via Levitation:
Conventional high-speed trains run on rails, which introduces rolling resistance and friction. Hyperloop concepts aim to have the pods “levitate” within the tube to reduce friction. Different prototype approaches vary: some use magnetic levitation (maglev), where strong electromagnets lift and guide the pod above a track, while others consider air bearings—cushions of air similar to how a puck floats on an air hockey table. Either approach significantly cuts down on friction compared to wheels on rails.
Electric Propulsion:
Instead of relying on a single continuous motor, Hyperloop pods would be accelerated at intervals using linear electric motors stationed along the tube. These motors give the pod an initial push and periodic “boosts” along the route. Once up to speed, the pod coasts for long stretches inside the low-pressure environment, losing very little speed. Deceleration can be achieved through regenerative braking—converting kinetic energy back into electrical energy—or through slight elevation changes and controlled drag.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability:
Because drag and friction are so drastically reduced, maintaining high speeds uses far less energy compared to traditional high-speed rail or air travel. Solar panels integrated along the tube’s exterior, for instance, could supply the energy needed to run the system, making it potentially energy self-sufficient.
Tube Infrastructure:
The tubes would likely be built elevated on pillars to avoid ground-level obstacles, reduce construction complexity, and allow for gentler curves. Minimal contact with external elements—like weather—makes scheduling more reliable and potentially safer. The sealed environment also reduces exposure to environmental factors.
Practical Considerations and Challenges:
Cost and Construction Complexity:
While conceptually simple, building extensive networks of low-pressure steel tubes hundreds of kilometers long is challenging and expensive.
Passenger Comfort and Safety:
Maintaining a safe low-pressure environment, ensuring rapid evacuation in emergencies, and managing acceleration/deceleration rates so that passengers experience a comfortable ride are non-trivial engineering and regulatory hurdles.
Real-World Testing and Regulation:
Although several companies (e.g., Virgin Hyperloop) and research groups have built prototype test tracks and pods, no full-scale commercial Hyperloop system is yet operational. Regulatory frameworks are still being developed, and large-scale feasibility, long-term reliability, and cost-effectiveness remain unproven.
Here’s more on how it works:
Would you take the 54 minute ride below the Ocean?
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