Premium Feature Article Originally Published: January 20, 2009
An electric vehicle will take part in the U.S. Presidential inaugural this day. Dubbed the Chariot, it will be the predecessor of a multi-purpose, all-terrain vehicle designed to operate in the harsh environment of the lunar surface where temperatures swing from - 243 degrees C in the shade to over 200 degrees C in the light.
But on January 20, 2009, it must simply navigate the drive from Capitol Hill to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Driven by Astronaut Mike Gernhardt, with Astronaut Rex Walheim walking in a Lunar Space Suit, it will participate in the U.S. presidential parade.
With no atmospheric oxygen on the moon, the six-wheeled, twelve-tired rover will be electrically-driven, powered by lithium-ion batteries, charged by an inductive charger NASA bought off of eBay that was once on a General Motors EV1 electric car. The Chariot's regenerative braking system is modeled after those found in Toyota, Ford's and GM's full hybrids.
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