Ford Once Designed a Uranium-Powered Car With a Nuclear Reactor and a 5,000-Mile Range

Over fifty years ago, Ford inspired car enthusiasts around the globe with a bold and futuristic idea — a vehicle powered not by gasoline or electricity, but by nuclear energy.

By the late 1950s, the American automaker was envisioning a future where cars would no longer rely on conventional fuels. That vision took shape in 1958 with the Ford Nucleon concept — a car designed to run on uranium.

Developed by Ford engineers, the Nucleon featured a miniature nuclear reactor mounted at the rear. It was powered by a replaceable uranium cartridge and, in theory, could travel up to 5,000 miles without refueling.

Aesthetically, the Ford Nucleon looked straight out of science fiction — with a long sloping hood, panoramic windshield, smooth flowing lines, and a detachable reactor capsule that resembled a spacecraft.

At the time, Ford wasn’t the only automaker dreaming of atomic propulsion. Some engineers believed nuclear power could one day drive trains, airplanes, and ships. But physics had other plans.

The main problem was feasibility — the science simply wasn’t there yet. Creating a compact, safe, and efficient nuclear reactor small enough for a personal car was pure fantasy. Protecting passengers from radiation would have required several tons of lead and steel shielding, rendering the car far too heavy to be practical. And that’s not to mention the obvious safety concerns in the event of an accident.

Ultimately, the project never reached the functional prototype stage. Ford only built a 3/8-scale model, which is now displayed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.