Toyota will be exploring unknown territory in 2029 when Japan ventures into outer space with its moon rover. The car maker signed a three-year contract to develop a pressurized lunar rover, a vehicle that will incorporate fuel-cell electric vehicle technologies. Here is a brief overview of what you can expect from the moon car.
Pressurized Cabin
While the Toyota moon car wouldn’t be the first vehicle to cruise the surface of the moon, it would be the first pressurized vehicle. NASA launched unpressurized moon buggies in 1971 and 1972. The Toyota moon car would typically be manned by two astronauts, although it would have the ability to hold four in an emergency.
Enormous Size
Based on the current concept for the rover, the vehicle will be huge. It will be at least 20 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 12.4 feet tall. Those dimensions would provide a total of 140 square feet of living space and would have at least six wheels propelling it.
Powerful Fuel Cell
The moon car will be powered by a powerful fuel cell that allows the rover to travel an impressive 6,213 miles. The concept car images even show what appears to be a solar array to generate power, and Toyota is exploring the idea fo using fuel cells for electric power on the lunar vehicle.
The ultimate goal for the Toyota moon car is to explore the polar regions on the moon to investigate the possibility of using the moon’s resources, along with developing technologies that could be used to explore other planets.
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