Nissan's lunar car, featuring the e-4ORCE technology of the Ariya SUV

Since January 2020, Nissan has been working in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency with the aim of developing lunar vehicles. Lunar missions require autonomous exploration vehicles that meet a series of very specific requirements. Among them, the ability to adapt to the lunar surface, with very rocky and dusty terrain, in addition to being highly efficient.

Nissan’s solution draws on the brand’s experience in electric propulsion systems from vehicles already on the market, such as the Nissan Leaf. In addition, the e-4ORCE technology debuted in the new electric SUV, the Nissan Ariya, appears to be an ideal solution for moving across the most difficult terrain.

Electric propulsion and e-4ORCE all-wheel drive

The e-4ORCE all-wheel drive allows Nissan’s lunar vehicle to improve mobility over any surface, especially sandy terrain, where the wheels can spin out of control and get stuck, preventing the vehicle from moving forward.

Nissan’s lunar car benefits from the possibilities of this technology, with a fully variable torque distribution for each wheel, along with traction control systems developed by the brand to limit wheel spin as needed depending on the terrain. Independent actuators on each wheel allow them to turn freely, giving the vehicle the ability to even rotate on its own vertical axis without moving from its spot.

Applied to “terrestrial” driving, the e-4ORCE traction in the Ariya’s versions with an electric motor on each axle allows the torque of each motor to be controlled individually, providing the best traction when accelerating. Furthermore, during braking, the intensity of regenerative braking at each motor is also adjusted individually, as are the torque and braking force at each wheel, which benefits dynamic behavior.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C_WYWmPjXo

Nissan is not the only car manufacturer collaborating with space agencies on the development of lunar vehicles. In 2015 Audi unveiled its Audi lunar quattro, with which it planned to set foot on the Moon in 2019, although the project never materialized… for now.

Nissan lunar car image gallery