The Ford Nucleon is a concept car developed by Ford in 1958 designed as a future nuclear-powered car, one of a handful of such designs during the 1950s and 60s. The concept was only demonstrated as a scale model. The design did not include an internal-combustion engine; rather, the vehicle was to be powered by a small nuclear reactor in the rear of the vehicle, based on the assumption that this would one day be possible by reducing sizes. The car was to use a steam engine powered by uranium fission similar to those found in nuclear submarines.
At the time of the concept's unveiling, nuclear technology was relatively new and it was believed that soon nuclear-fission technology could be made compact and affordable such that nuclear fuel would become the primary energy source in the U.S. and gasoline would become obsolete.
The mock-up of the car can be viewed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
Video Ford Nucleon
In popular culture
The Nucleon is the inspiration for nuclear cars in the Fallout video game franchise. For example, in-game billboards describe the fictional Chryslus Corvega Atomic V8 as having an "Atomic V8" engine. The game's depiction is more satirical, however, as the cars explode into an implausible mushroom cloud and release radiation when shot.
Maps Ford Nucleon
See also
- Ford Seattle-ite XXI
- Studebaker Packard Astral
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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