The mobility industry has a history of exploring various forms of propulsion. The strangest fuel in the world has some negative connotations attached to it as a result of its destructive past; however, it presents the world with a fuel source that is nearly limitless and capable of ridiculous efficiency and economy. The world has quickly come to terms with the fact that the traditional internal combustion engine is becoming too destructive to the climate, and an alternative form of power is required for the world’s needs. This fuel has remained unexplored as far as its mobility applications.
Certain parts of the world are leaving the internal combustion engine behind
At one point in recent memory, the automotive sector held the consequences of the climate crisis solely on its shoulders. Nations such as Britain have embraced the electric vehicle at such a pace that the government aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with the Green Party in the UK calling for a ban on the sale of all new internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered vehicles by 2027.
The Green Party went further to propose a complete ban on the use of ICE-powered vehicles by 2035, a truly radical thought that has raised some eyebrows across the pond. The United States has a slightly different approach to the electrification of its roads and vehicles. Tesla found massive success in the US and has become the go-to buy for the climate-conscious consumer. That dominance has recently fallen away thanks to some questionable behavior on the part of its CEO.
The automotive sector is leading the pursuit of the fuel of tomorrow
Thanks to the global embrace of the EV, the automotive sector has begun to see new vehicles emerging out of the electric dust that are powered by the strangest fuels in the world. The EV has shown its reliability for everyday, short-distance use. Hydrogen has emerged as a viable alternative fuel that the world is yet to explore fully, no doubt due to a lack of infrastructure and investments.
The alternative fuel sector has emerged as the most practical platform to explore solutions to the world’s energy crisis brought on by our dependence on the internal combustion engine. The truth has emerged that while the automotive sector is leading the emission reduction efforts of the world, it is not the worst contributor. ICE-powered road transport accounts for fewer emissions than the livestock and beauty/cosmetics sectors.
The nuclear-powered car has been relegated to the pages of history
In the 1950s, the world was consumed by the ecstasy of winning World War 2 thanks to the nuclear power that was pioneered in the US, which has since continued that pioneering spirit in the mobility sector. That nuclear power made its way into the automotive sector as the American car makers attempted to reinvigorate their sales and the US economy at the same time. Several companies made the venture into the nuclear-powered car arena.
The very first application proposal that aimed to make use of nuclear power for cars came to the world from the United States. In 1957, the Studebaker-Packard Astral amazed the world with its concept to use nuclear power for a personal mobility vehicle. Some other nuclear-powered cars have included:
- 1957/58 Ford Nucleon
- 1958 Arbel Symétric
- 1962 Ford Seattle-ite XXI
Will the world ever see a new nuclear-powered car for the future?
While the EV has become immensely popular, it has emerged that it is not as kind to the environment as originally thought. Yes, the emissions are non-existent, but the infrastructure needed to provide it with that electricity is fed from the grid that is powered by fossil fuels. Some car manufacturers have shied away from both electrification and hydrogen altogether. The likelihood of seeing a nuclear-powered vehicle is low, considering the world’s hesitance to see nuclear power as anything but destructive, but there is so much more there to discover.
