NASA has some fun showing off its slick new electric lunar-Martian rover

NASA engineers test-drive a prototype electric rover at Johnson Space Center

(Image credit: NASA/YouTube)

published 17 April 2015

This week, NASA gave the world a peek at its advanced electric rover, suitable for driving around Mars, the moon, or dense urban sections of Earth. The prototype Modular Robotic Vehicle has four independent wheels that each turn 180 degrees, a remote-control driving option, computer backup in case the manual drive-by-wire steering fails, and a top speed of about 45 miles an hour. It can go more than 60 miles on one battery charge.

"It's like driving on ice but having complete control," says Justin Ridley at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where engineers test-drive the buggy in the video below. "It's a blast to ride and even more fun to drive." It also makes parallel parking a breeze. Watch the MRV in action below. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.