Ford Astrion: Lost EV Vision or Just Another Dream?

Electric Foreshadowing - In an era when tailfins and V8 engines dominated American roads, the idea of a small electric car seemed more like science fiction than an industry goal. Yet within the design studios of Ford in the early 1960s, there were hints—subtle, easily overlooked—that some minds were already drifting toward a different kind of future. Among those whispers of change stood the Astrion, a concept cloaked in mystery and layered intention.

The Ford Astrion Concept's proportions suggested performance; and its styling hinted at a sleeker evolution of the Thunderbird. (Picture from: Hemmings)

At first glance, the Ford Astrion didn’t scream “electric.” Its proportions suggested performance; its styling hinted at a sleeker evolution of the Thunderbird. The sharp haunches, formal roofline, and sculpted sides looked like they belonged to a grand touring coupe. But behind that stylish exterior, a second, lesser-known chapter adds new depth to the story.

The Ford Astrion Concept features sharp haunches, formal roofline, and sculpted sides looked like they belonged to a grand touring coupe. (Picture from: Hemmings)

After the completion of the 1961 Lincoln Continental project, Ford's Roy Lunn initiated a small, internal experiment. He approached the Styling department to develop a compact electric vehicle—an idea radically ahead of its time. 

Behind the stylish exterior of the Ford Astrion Concept lies a lesser-known chapter that adds depth to Ford’s earliest visions of a personal, possibly electric future—shaped not by specs or features, but by form, emotion, and the freedom to dream. (Picture from: Hemmings)

Under the guidance of Elwood Engel, the project was assigned to designers Colin Neale and Alex Tremulis, with Gale Halderman supervising. What followed was an unusual and clever design exercise: the team sculpted a single clay model and split it down the middle. Neale designed one half, calling it the Firefly, while Tremulis and Halderman shaped the other. | 9r7wy1k97oo |

Both sides were compelling enough to move forward. The designs were cast in fiberglass, and a prototype was created—outfitted with a small electric motor and battery. Initially called the Astrion, the tiny car was later renamed the Hummingbird. Despite its top speed of just five miles per hour, the Hummingbird served a memorable role: ferrying Bill Ford across the cobblestone courtyard at Ford’s facilities.

This might have been the Hummingbird, a compact vehicle—possibly envisioned as an EV—initiated by Roy Lunn after the 1961 Lincoln Continental project as a quiet internal experiment within Ford’s Styling department. (Picture from: Concept Cars & More on Facebook)

What makes this especially interesting is the name “Astrion” itself. While the sleek coupe and the electric Hummingbird appear unrelated in form, they may share something deeper—an origin rooted in imagination rather than production intent. The name might not have been model-specific, but rather an internal label passed around to represent bold, experimental thinking. In this light, the Astrion becomes more than a mystery car; it becomes a symbol of Ford’s willingness to explore what came next.

Roy Lunn’s team crafted a single clay model, splitting it down the middle—Neale designed one side, naming it the Firefly, while Tremulis and Halderman shaped the other. (Picture from: Concept Cars & More on Facebook)

Looking back, the Astrion’s story straddles two very different interpretations. One is sculptural and expressive—a design vision that may have flirted with Thunderbird lineage. The other is technical and humble—a quiet electric prototype made not for showrooms, but for curiosity’s sake. Both are valuable. And the coincidence of them sharing a name may not be a coincidence at all.

Furthermore, the designs were cast in fiberglass, and a prototype was built—equipped with a small electric motor and battery. (Picture from: Hemmings)

So while the automotive world looks back at the Astrion and wonders whether it was a sporty Thunderbird offshoot or just another unused design, maybe it’s worth looking at it differently. Maybe the Astrion was one of Ford’s earliest visualizations of what a personal, possibly electric vehicle of the future might look like—not through the lens of specs or features, but through form, feeling, and the freedom to dream.

The electric Hummingbird, though seemingly unrelated in form to the sleek Astrion coupe, may share a deeper origin rooted in imagination over intent. (Picture from: Hemmings)

And if that's the case, then the Astrion was never "just a concept car." It was the start of a conversation Ford designers would keep having—quietly at first, then loudly, decades later—about how we move forward, and what it means to drive tomorrow. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HEMMINGS | EN.WHEELAGE.ORG | CONCEPT CARS & MORE ON FACEBOOK ]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.