Nissan showcases lunar rover prototype

Nissan has uncovered the lunar rover prototype, an all-wheel drive project jointly developed with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

In progress since January 2020, the lunar rover prototype has been designed to “traverse the Moon’s powdery, rocky and undulating terrain”. It features motor control technology taken from the Leaf, plus the brand’s new E-Force all-wheel drive system – as seen in the Ariya crossover – that can individually control the torque of each electric motor to assist with traction.

Using joint research between itself and JAXA, Nissan has adapted its E-Force technology to improve performance in sandy terrain and other harsh conditions, ensuring the rover does not get stuck on the Moon’s surface.

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In addition, Nissan says it has developed the powertrain to ensure it is as efficient as possible, since energy sources are limited in space, with the marque also stating its research and development for the lunar rover will assist in the evolution of terrestrial vehicles.

“By conducting research with Nissan, which has expertise in electrified technologies, we hope to apply our findings to the development of higher-performance lunar rovers,” said Ikkoh Funaki, director of the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Centre at JAXA.

“The uses of automobiles and driving situations are wide-ranging,” added Toshiyuki Nakajima, general manager of Nissan’s advanced vehicle engineering department.

“We aim for the ultimate driving performance through our research and development, and believe the knowhow gained from this joint research with JAXA will lead to innovations in our vehicles that will bring benefits to customers.”

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The news follows a joint announcement by Toyota and JAXA in March 2019, with the two planning to develop a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle to transverse the moon from 2029.

Other automakers assisting with extraterrestrial missions include General Motors, which worked on the rover used in NASA’s Apollo missions more than 50 years ago, and Audi’s 2015 ‘Lunar Quattro’ moon vehicle.

Revealed at the recent Nissan Futures event, the lunar rover prototype joins the Ariya Single Seater Concept, in addition to four electric concepts unveiled earlier this week designed to preview 15 fully-electric Nissan models set to launch by 2030.