Major car firm unveils car ‘astronauts can use on the Moon’ – rivalling Tesla after Elon Musk sent motor to space

A MAJOR car firm has unveiled a car that they say could be used by astronauts on the Moon, in a move to rival Tesla.

Nobody has walked on the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 team in 1972, but soon people could be driving on it.

Toyota has released the concept for its Baby Lunar Cruiser, an all-electric SUV that the manufacturer claims could be used in space.

Computer-generated design images show the compact 4x4 in a desert setting intended to mimic the surface of the Moon.

It is guided by a trove of cameras and sensors feeding back real-time data into an augmented reality program.

This theoretically allows it to detect rough terrain and craters of the sort that might be found on the Moon.

The tyres are airless to account for massive pressure changes in space and each wheel has its own self-contained motor to power it.

The vehicle will also be able to withstand the violent temperature swings on the Moon, which can see highs of 121C and lows of -128C.

Astronauts can control it with a joystick as they enjoy the panoramic view through the large panes of heavily reinforced windows.

Under the design, it would be able to hold two people securely for 14 days, while there is also a folding rear seat to accommodate extra passengers.

The concept was dreamt up by CALTY Design Research in the US as part of the manufacturer's global design network.

It is based on the self-driving Lunar Rover being built by Japan's national space exploration agency for use in 2029.

The project has come to light in the wake of Elon Musk shooting his personal Tesla Roadster into space in 2018.

The EV flew past Mars and played Space Oddity hundreds of thousands of time as it hurtled around the Sun.

It comes amid problems for electric cars back on Earth as an economics professor claimed they will never be adopted in the UK until three key issues are solved.

Meanwhile, it emerged that EVs are more expensive to insure than petrol and diesel cars.