By Paul Strauss
These days, the use of nuclear energy is limited to power plants and submarines, but there was a time when it was thought the controversial power source could be used to drive our cars. In fact, back in 1958, Ford showed off a concept for a nuclear-powered car called the Nucleon.
Ford thought that it might be feasible to reduce the size of a nuclear reactor to power such a vehicle. They showed the design both with and without tailfins, but if you’re going to have a 1950s concept car it definitely should have tailfins.
Can you imagine what sort of mess we’d have on our hands with nuclear cars driving around and rear-ending each other? Thank god this idea never made it beyond the scale model stage. If you happen to drop by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, you can see the model in person.
These days, the use of nuclear energy is limited to power plants and submarines, but there was a time when it was thought the controversial power source could be used to drive our cars. In fact, back in 1958, Ford showed off a concept for a nuclear-powered car called the Nucleon.
Ford thought that it might be feasible to reduce the size of a nuclear reactor to power such a vehicle. They showed the design both with and without tailfins, but if you’re going to have a 1950s concept car it definitely should have tailfins.
Can you imagine what sort of mess we’d have on our hands with nuclear cars driving around and rear-ending each other? Thank god this idea never made it beyond the scale model stage. If you happen to drop by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, you can see the model in person.
(images via Car Styling)
Source:: 95 Octane