Imagine a modern car with a seductive design, ample space, a sunroof, and a range of 8,000 kilometers. Many models offer the first four points without much trouble... but 8,000 kilometers? In 1958, Ford believed such a vehicle was possible, provided it used a nuclear reactor. That idea gave rise to the Ford Nucleon, one of the strangest concepts to come out of the company, and which for some reason still captures our attention.
I suspect many of our readers have played the Fallout saga (especially the latest installments). Several vehicles appear destroyed in the nuclear wasteland, but their designs don't come entirely from the programmers' imagination; they're based on a model "explored" in real life. The year was 1958, and the Soviets had "lit the first candle" of the Space Race.
And Ford's Advanced Styling Studio was well known for its extraordinary concepts and the talent that came out of it, but one project was automatically set apart from the rest. I'm referring to the Ford Nucleon.
A Nuclear Powerplant on Wheels
The Nucleon belongs to a different category for a simple reason: The original plan was to equip it with a nuclear reactor based on uranium fission, a technology similar to that found in submarines. The nuclear cell would need to be replaced by specialized personnel at dedicated charging stations every eight thousand kilometers, though the driver would have the ability to adjust the reactor's performance for more precise management.
The Nucleon had a very aerodynamic and futuristic appearance, with a one-piece windshield and a sunroof. The overall shape of the car also sought to maintain its balance, due to the enormous weight of the reactor, and the mandatory minimum distance between the system and the passenger cabin.
Why It Never Went Beyond a Model
As expected, the Ford Nucleon never went beyond its scale models made of putty and carbon fiber. In fact, the designers didn't even bother to solve the challenge of an entrance for passengers.
The shielding required tons of lead, and if we add the natural weight of the reactor, the logistical problems of distributing nuclear cells, the processing of spent ones, and the ever-present risk of an accident (whether a vehicle crash or maintenance errors), the Ford Nucleon was "condemned" to its current role as a museum piece.
