Ask HN: Would an electric car work in space or on mars?
4 comments
Not sure if you mean any specific problems, but yes, vehicle with electronic power system would work on Mars.
Good example of that are Mars exploration rovers (e.g. Curiosity, Spirit), which are exploring Mars since 2003 and use battery power (with solar panels for charging).
Good example of that are Mars exploration rovers (e.g. Curiosity, Spirit), which are exploring Mars since 2003 and use battery power (with solar panels for charging).
A passenger carrying electric car operated on the Moon:
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo_lrv.html
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo_lrv.html
Ya, I should've been more exclusive when I meant car. Could a commercial electric vehicle like a model from Tesla or Volt operate on mars currently?
I believe they would have trouble with their battery pack thermal controls which are designed to work at standard Earth temperatures and air pressure.
It'd be a hell of a commute.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_(rover)
Since a car relies on gravity for its wheels to have traction with the surface it's moving on, it would be of limited use in outer space.