A rail-guided Tesla and flamethrowers: Inside Elon Musk's exclusive Boring Company tunnel launch party

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A rail-guided Tesla and flamethrowers: Inside Elon Musk's exclusive Boring Company tunnel launch party

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Musk Boring company tunnel.JPG

Robyn Beck/Pool via REUTERS

Elon Musk presenting at the opening of the Hawthorne Tunnel.

  • Elon Musk's Boring Company unveiled its first completed test tunnel on Tuesday night.
  • Musk held an exclusive launch party near Los Angeles to celebrate the opening.
  • It featured a speech from Musk and flamethrower-cooked marshmallows.

Elon Musk unveiled the Boring Company's first completed test tunnel on Tuesday.

The grand opening featured a public appearance from Musk, a modified Tesla Model X, and flamethrower-cooked marshmallows.

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Scroll on for the best pictures from the launch party.

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The Hawthorne Tunnel is the Boring Company's first major project.

The Hawthorne Tunnel is the Boring Company's first major project.

The tunnel is 12 feet in diameter, and the finished tunnel segment is just over a mile long.

It was excavated along a path that runs not through Los Angeles but beneath the tiny adjacent municipality of Hawthorne, where Musk's Boring Company and his SpaceX rocket firm are both headquartered.

Although lots of people came to witness the tunnel opening, there wasn't space for everyone.

Although lots of people came to witness the tunnel opening, there wasn't space for everyone.

Musk's presentation was broadcast live at 8:15 p.m. local time so people who couldn't make the exclusive launch party could tune in.

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Musk gave a 30-minute presentation.

Musk gave a 30-minute presentation.

After emerging from the tunnel in a modified Tesla Model X, Musk said he hoped in the future that tunnels dug by the Boring Company could be the answer to "soul destroying" traffic.

Guests didn't get a ride in the tunnel.

Guests didn't get a ride in the tunnel.

In the past Musk said "free rides" would be available, but no guests were allowed to travel inside the tunnel at the unveiling on Tuesday

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Musk said that while the tunnel is capable of whisking cars along at 110 mph, people will be going through at a more comfortable 40 to 50 mph.

Musk said that while the tunnel is capable of whisking cars along at 110 mph, people will be going through at a more comfortable 40 to 50 mph.

The tunnelling process is much slower, however.

The tunnelling process is much slower, however.

"Aspirationally, we should be slightly faster than a snail," Musk said.

He explained that most tunnelling equipment moves 14 times slower than a snail, and hopes to match to snail-speed with The Boring Company.

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Musk tweeted a picture of a modified Tesla Model X nestled inside the tunnel, locked in by retractable wheel gears, which effectively turn it into a "rail-guided train."

Musk said that in future the tunnel loop might carry passenger cars on "skates" that whizz them through the tunnels, or that cars might eventually be fitted retractable side wheel, so they could travel through the tunnel autonomously.

Tesla in @boringcompany tunnel with retractable wheel gear that turns a car into a rail-guided train & back again pic.twitter.com/3a6i0NoSmi

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 19, 2018

The Boring Company also released a video of a Tesla being whisked along inside the tunnel.

The Boring Company Loop system pic.twitter.com/xVpDHzZKXB

— The Boring Company (@boringcompany) December 19, 2018
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The Boring Company showed off some impressive segments of tunnel.

The Boring Company showed off some impressive segments of tunnel.

The firm's tunnelling equipment was also on proud display.

The firm's tunnelling equipment was also on proud display.
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And attendees got the chance to pose in front of some heavy-duty boring equipment.

And attendees got the chance to pose in front of some heavy-duty boring equipment.

They also got to toast marshmallows with a Boring Company flamethrower.

They also got to toast marshmallows with a Boring Company flamethrower.
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