Mind-Blowing - When the term "nuclear" is mentioned, it often conjures images of a deadly weapon, a perception grounded in the historical context of its devastating use in ending World War II by destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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1958 Ford Nucleon looked a lot like the 1955 Mystere, a winged Ford concept car and it said would run on nuclear power, as opposed to gas. (Picture from: Hemmings) |

Presenting four nuclear-powered concept cars that had captivated automotive enthusiasts in the past, although they never made it into production:
1. Arbel Symetric
In the 1950s, the French car manufacturer Arbel, officially known as Compagnie Normande d'Etudes pour l'Application de Procédés Mécaniques, unveiled the Arbel Symetric. This concept car showcased a nuclear heat generator, the 40 kW (53 horsepower) genestatom, coupled with electric motors.
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1954 Arbel Symetric. (Picture from: lAutomobileAncienne) |
2. Ford Nucleon
Ford, the renowned American automotive giant, introduced the Ford Nucleon as a prominent nuclear concept car. Despite never progressing beyond a 3:8 scale model, the Nucleon gained fame.
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1958 Ford Nucleon said to have twin steam turbines and a nuclear reactor in the trunk. (Picture from: Gizmodo) |
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Designed to have a reactor resembling the USS Nautilus nuclear submarine, Ford claimed it could cover 8,000 kilometers with its nuclear power. (Picture from: FreeThink) |
Unlike
the Arbel Symetric, the Nucleon didn't require refueling; instead, it
involved replacing the old reactor with a new one.
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1958 Ford Nucleon model at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. (Picture from: Hemmings) |
While never produced,
a miniature version can be viewed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn,
Michigan.
3. Simca Fulgur
France demonstrated a particular interest in nuclear-powered vehicles, exemplified by Simca Fulgur, unveiled around the same time as Symetric and Nucleon at the 1958 Geneva Auto Show to show how the vehicles worked in the 2000s.
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1958 Simca Fulgur concept. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru) |
4. Studebaker-Packard Astral
Among the array of nuclear car concepts, the Studebaker-Packard Astral stands out as one of the most unconventional. Presented at the South Bend Art Center in 1958, it was described by its creator as an "iconic machine."
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1958 Studebaker-Packard Astral concept while sat on display at the Studebaker National Museum. (Picture from: CurbSideClassic) |
Notably, the Astral was described as being able to 'float' in the air and being able to be driven on water. To shield passengers from potential radiation, the vehicle featured a specially designed cover made from advanced materials.
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The 1958 Studebaker-Packard Astral, a nuclear-powered concept car from the late 1950s, boasts the ability to 'levitate' and navigate on water. (Picture from: OtoBlitz) |
That's such a 'spectacular' idea that year, even though until now we have never seen a 'flying car' like Charles Taylor's dream with his Studebaker Astral. Currently, the Astral is on a leisurely break, extending an invitation for exploration at the Studebaker National Museum.

Despite safety concerns impeding progress, their ambitious legacy lives on in automotive innovation. The lingering question: does nuclear power still play a role in modern car propulsion? Let's time will reveal the answers for us... *** [EKA [19122018] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FREETHINK | LAUTOMOBILEANCIENNE | GIZMODO | CARSTYLING | HEMMINGS | CURBSIDE CLASSIC]
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