GM’s Latest Electric Vehicle Is Shooting for the Moon, Literally
GM’s new lunar terrain vehicle concept is electric and autonomous. Will it land the gig and be the next vehicle to move astronauts across the moon’s surface?
General Motors
(GM) has designed a new vehicle concept for NASA. But this time, it’s current earth-based technology influencing the project rather than the other way around. The Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) will run off electric power, much like the automaker’s latest releases. It will also feature autonomous driving capability, a concept many
car brands
, including GM, have been quickly developing back on our planet.Building the LTV will require some new innovations too, though. And it will have to outperform concepts developed by competitors like Toyota to officially land the job (pardon the pun).
Jerry
went digging to discover what could be found about the new moon rover.What we know about GM’s new space-bound electric vehicle
Without looking at images of GM’s LTV, its specs might bring the Chevy Silverado EV set for release in 2024. But
Kelley Blue Book
says that calling it a pickup would be misleading.Despite having a cargo bed behind its two seats and a four-wheel-drive powertrain, the design concept for the LTV has more in common with a John Deere Gator than a
full-size truck
—though it looks admittedly less green.GM proposed the vehicle for NASA’s Artemis program which plans to put the first woman on the moon in 2024.
The company’s experience with lunar travel might give it a leg up against competing ideas. It also built the moon rover for the 1969 moon landing, in partnership with Boeing.
GM’s other electric vehicle projects
The LTV’s electric powertrain is par for the course at GM right now. The company has committed to phasing out gas engines by 2035. The first model using its
Ultium battery platform
, the GMC Hummer EV, reached drivers last year.EVs like the Chevy Bolt has been out for years, but the new platform allows the automaker to electrify a wider range of models.
By the end of 2023, GMC will offer a Sierra EV, Chevy will electrify the Silverado, Equinox, and Blazer, and the Cadillac Lyriq will have been on the road for over a year.
GM has also
partnered with Honda
to power the Japanese brand’s upcoming electric fleet, starting with the Prologue in 2024. Honda plans to fully switch to plug-in power by 2040.The cost of owning GM electric vehicles
Ownership costs for EVs are a little different than they are for gas-powered vehicles, GM models included.
While you can save in the long run by cutting down on the fuel and maintenance costs, initial price tags are generally thousands of dollars more than fossil-fuel burning models. Plus, buying and installing a home charger will cost you at least another $1,000.
Car insurance
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