Mars rover VS earth rover BJ80 or Zhurong, who has stronger off-road capability?

On May 22, the Tianwen-1 lander was opened, and my country's Mars rover "Zhurong" unfolded its solar wings and left the lander to start a journey to Mars. Although the Utopia Plain, the landing site, is called a plain, it is actually covered with extremely complex terrain such as rocks, slopes, and ravines. It can be said that every centimeter of the road the "Zhurong" travels is off-road.

So what is the off-road capability of "Zhurong"? As a strategic partner of China's Mars Exploration Project, the Beijing Off-Road 2020 BJ80 appeared on the same stage as the Zhurong on the eve of the "Tianwen" liftoff last year, so let's compare it with this BJ80 with strong off-road performance Everyone reveals the answer.

Wheel-step mobile VS four-wheel drive + lock: off-road capability Mars rover and BJ80 are both A

Zhurong uses a wheel-step moving system, which allows Zhurong to get out of trouble in various ways when encountering different obstacles. For example, when encountering a large obstacle, which cannot be crossed by lifting the suspension, the wheel-walking mobile system can change the direction of the wheels to make it "crab" laterally to avoid obstacles. For example, Zhurong is a "six-wheel drive". If a wheel gets stuck in sand, the wheel-step moving system can also simulate the creeping of the "inchworm" to get out of the predicament.

Compared with the performance of the "six-wheel drive" of the "Zhurong" on Mars, the BJ80's time-sharing four-wheel drive system + automatic mechanical differential lock on the rear axle is not inferior. The reason why the industry always says that BJ80 has pure off-road genes is that its electronically controlled time-sharing four-wheel drive can achieve smooth switching between 2H, 4H and 4L, plus the automatic mechanical differential lock on the rear axle, which can provide a strong self-rescue ability, allowing Whether it is playing off-road in the Gobi, plateau, rainforest or hilly area, going up a mountain, going down a river, crossing a ditch, winding a mountain road, etc., even if it is driving diagonally on the hillside, you can play as you want.

The Martian landscape is harsh and complex, and there are also many unknowns on Earth. Both Zhurong and BJ80 are well-deserved "old A" in their respective fields.

Four solar wings VS 3.0T V6: the power system rover and BJ80 pursue different

The maximum driving speed of "Zhurong" on Mars is 200 meters per hour, the obstacle clearance height is 30 cm, and the navigation speed is 40 meters per hour. From the data, it seems slow, but it makes sense. There are huge differences in the environmental and weather conditions between Mars and Earth. There are several sandstorms on Mars every year, with wind speeds of up to 180 meters per second, three times stronger than super typhoons on Earth. In this working environment, the biggest appeal is persistence.

The main power source of "Zhurong" is solar energy. Mars is farther from the sun, the sunshine time is short, and the solar energy can only get 30% of the earth. Chinese experts have installed four solar panels for the "Zhurong", which can automatically adjust the angle of the solar panels according to the sunshine conditions to achieve the most efficient solar energy collection. With this cutting-edge technology, the Zhurong can theoretically be used on Mars. Work continuously for several years.

If the solar cells of Zhurong represent my country's most advanced "Mars off-road power", then the power system of the BJ80 is the best off-road on Earth. The 3.0T V6 engine has both the explosive power of the turbocharged engine and the smooth linear power output of the V6 engine. In actual driving, the explosive power is strong, not only stable, but also full of stamina. With the support of the world's top ZF 8AT gearbox, the output of 206kW maximum power and 420N.m maximum torque, not only the horizontal road can be galloping, but also the necessary impulse to go uphill is quite powerful.

Although the power systems of Zhurong and BJ80 are different, they are both advanced power systems tailored by experts according to local conditions. In order to exert their strongest performance, they have become leaders in their respective fields.

"Workaholic" VS "Light in the Clouds": Will the Comfortable Mars Rover Equal to the BJ80 in the Future?

The mission of Zhurong this time is to shoot, collect data and samples. It is equipped with various sophisticated detection and data collection equipment. It is expected to work continuously on the surface of Mars for 90 Martian days (about 96 Earth days). This kind of "workaholic" Momentum requires continuity and stability, and in the final analysis, work cannot be interrupted.

Therefore, Zhurong is equipped with an active suspension system, which can help the Mars rover actively and reasonably adjust the suspension shape, stiffness and damping according to the road conditions, and adjust the height and angle of the car body, whether it is on sandy, hard or mountainous terrain. With this technology, the "Zhurong" can cope with the harsh landforms on Mars that are covered with gravel and stones. For example, when encountering a relatively small stone, the "Zhurong" can raise the body height through the active suspension and "cross" it, just like we humans "step" over a small obstacle.

But for off-roading on the earth, in addition to stability, the comfort of the driver and passengers is also particularly important. BJ80 comes standard with non-load-bearing off-road beams to ensure driving stability; the 2800mm wheelbase provides ample driving space, and the space is relatively free to move; the leather wrapping of the seat is soft, and the backrest can be adjusted at will, even the rear The backrest can be adjusted to 108° to increase the comfort of the rear passengers, which is very comfortable even on long-distance off-road. In addition, a large area of ​​soft material wraps the interior, and all-round NVH upgrades make it look advanced, feel comfortable, and the interior space is quiet, which is simply a three-dimensional sensory enjoyment. It can be said that the comfort configuration provided by the BJ80 allows the driver and passengers to gallop in a "light and light" way, and have a dual physical and mental experience while playing off-road.

At present, the rover does not need to be manned, but it will be a matter of time before manned landing on Mars. By then, the comfort requirements of the rover will likely need to be borrowed from off-road vehicles. Will the rover technology be on par with the BJ80? This is something to look forward to.

Conclusion: Now Zhurong has launched its "wings" to walk on the surface of Mars, and officially started its exploration work for more than three months. Although the research and development is relatively late, the application of a large number of new technologies has made Zhurong more adaptable. I believe It must be able to complete this Mars exploration mission well. As the flagship model, the BJ80 has become the most outstanding off-road presence on the surface with its strong off-road performance and excellent military quality, and it is also worthy of its status as a strategic partner of China's Mars exploration project.