THE Toyota Lunar Cruiser is the result of cooperation between the automobile giant and JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) to develop a pressurized cabin lunar exploration vehicle, powered by electricity, but using technologies used in fuel cells.
The name chosen says it all — and the headlamp-“grill” assembly even more. The association of the Lunar Cruiser with the venerable Land Cruiser is deliberate, as stated in the Toyota statement:
“The name, which references the Toyota Land Cruiser, was decided based on the quality, durability and reliability expected from the pressurized lunar 'rover', and the concept that Toyota has long advocated for the Land Cruiser, which was for people to 'come back' alive", especially true for the lunar "rover", as it will travel through the hostile environment of the moon's surface."
The Lunar Cruiser will be in development for the next decade, with its public unveiling scheduled for 2029 and a manned lunar mission for 2030.
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For this fiscal year (Japan ends on March 31, 2021), driving simulations are planned to confirm performance in terms of power and heat dissipation, as well as tests for the production of wheels and for the layout of the vehicle's interior. .
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