Toyota is going to space – maybe. The Japanese carmaker is joining forces with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in a joint study of a manned, pressurized rover that employs fuel-cell electric vehicle technologies and could be used in the future for human lunar exploration.
Currently, the rover will have a total lunar-surface cruising range of more than 10,000 kilometres.
“Having Toyota joining us in the challenger of international space exploration greatly strengthens our confidence,” said JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa. “…Throughout our joint studies going forward, we would like to put to use Toyota’s excellent technological abilities related to mobility, and we look forward to the acceleration of our technological studies for the realization of a manned, pressurized rover.”
International space exploration looks to expand the ability for human life to live beyond Earth, specifically looking towards the moon and Mars. The Toyota space exploration partnership with JAXA could go a long way towards creating vehicles that can help humans do just that, providing lunar explorers with the pressurized vehicles they need to safely explore this new terrain.
The Toyota-JAXA rover will be able to accommodate two people – four people in the case of an emergency – and provides 13 square metres of living space. It will be 6 metres in length, 5.2 metres in width, and 3.8 metres high.
While our Toyota models at High River Toyota won’t get you to space, they will help you cruise around town. Browse our new inventory if you need a new ride to hit the road with!