Toyota, Mitsubishi Partner on Solar-Powered Lunar Rovers

Andy Szal July 24, 2023

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Two of Japan’s leading manufacturers will join forces to develop a vehicle to help a new generation of astronauts explore the moon, company officials announced. Toyota and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries recently outlined progress on Toyota’s Lunar Cruiser, Nikkei reported, including updates on its driving capabilities and a jointly developed “regenerative” fuel cell system.

Toyota first began working on the lunar rover, based on its Land Cruiser sport-utility vehicle, with Japan’s JAXA space agency in 2019.

During a recent press conference, the automotive giant said that the vehicle would be equipped with fuel cells powered by hydrogen, which would be synthesized from water on the moon’s surface using solar power. Mitsubishi is reportedly working on the hydrogen synthesis system in partnership with JAXA and Japan’s science and technology agency.

The companies indicated that the technology would allow the vehicles to recharge during lunar days to continue operating during lunar nights — each of which last about two weeks.

The rovers are scheduled to be launched in 2029 as part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years in 2025. They are expected to be able to travel more than 10,000 kilometers — more than 6,200 miles — across the lunar surface.