Well, it seems Tesla Motors and Elon Musk may not have the universal market cornered when it comes to making fun electric-powered vehicles. It's likely Tesla will never traverse Mars or any other non-Earth terrain.
The U.S. space agency NASA, however, does have that opportunity, given early reports on its new Modular Robotic Vehicle (MRV).
As a video illustrates, the NASA MRV is apparently fun to drive and the sophisticated design and development is partially tied to U.S. car making ingenuity, say reports.
The MRV boasts four liquid-cooled wheel motors that can run independently, which lets the car speed up and move in ways that traditional earth-bound vehicles can't. It can parallel park in a side-slide motion, for example.
The completely electric vehicle, which weighs 990 kilograms or 1 ton, can be remote-driven and handle unique obstacles without having to stop and maneuver. According to one report, NASA has said its MRV prototype has been created for future exploration on Mars and that its intricate systems could one day also be built into cars driven on Earth as well.
The compelling aspect of the MRV's wheel modules is that the vehicle can drive laterally and drift around corners given the super agility factor.
The MRV, which can only go as fast as 40mph, is all controlled by computer operation and there is no traditional vehicle mechanics between steering, braking or acceleration. Its battery longevity is 62 miles on a charge.
Driving the vehicle, as NASA describes it, is supposedly "like driving on ice but having complete control." It's a "blast," states International Space Station Flight Controller Justin Ridley.
"We've talked about it being like an amusement park ride. The 'fun' of driving was not something we tried to design for, just something that came out of the design. Once we got it running, many of us commented that we had no idea it was going to be able to do the things it does," he said.
The MRV was built to move quickly and easily, according to mechanical engineer Mason Markee.
"This two-seater vehicle was designed to meet the growing challenges and demands of urban transportation," said Markee. "The size and maneuverability of MRV gives it an advantage in navigating and parking in tight quarters."
Check out the MRV in this video clip:
