Lost Technology: Ford Nucleon,

During the 1950s, much of the world was quivering with anticipation
over the exciting prospects of nuclear power. Atomic energy promised to
churn out clean, safe electricity that would be “too cheap to meter.”
It seemed that there was no energy problem too large or too small for
the mighty atom to tackle during the glorious and modern Atomic Age.

It
was during this honeymoon with nuclear energy– in 1957– that the Ford
Motor Company unveiled the most ambitious project in their history: a
concept vehicle which had a sleek futuristic look, emitted no harmful
vapors, and offered incredible fuel mileage far beyond that of the most
efficient cars ever built. This automobile-of-the-future was called the
Ford Nucleon, named for its highly unique design feature… a pint-size atomic fission reactor in the trunk.