In 1958 , Ford introduced the Nucleon , a auto that was powered by anatomical reactorand got 5,000 miles ( 8,047 kilometers ) per charge of uranium ( or whateverradioactive materialit used to make itself go ) . You say you ’ve never attend a Nucleon ? That ’s plausibly because Ford never actually offered it for sale . It was a non - functioning demo model exhibited at machine shows and still available for viewing at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan . It never really had anatomical - powered engineand in all likelihood could n’t have locomote around the block , much less 5,000 miles ( 8,047 kilometers ) , using uranium as a fuel .

In 1975 , Toyota demonstrated ahybrid - electric carat the Tokyo Motor Show . The Prius , right ? No , it was the Toyota Century Hybrid , a version of the Toyota Century with a intercrossed driving force train . Toyota never brought it to grocery , though they showed several more versions at auto show over the next several years . By the clock time the Prius came out in 1993 , hybrid drive train were 2d nature for Toyota engineers .

At the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show , Toyota introduce the Fun Vii , a car that count like a cross between a giant computer shiner and asmartphone . It can display images and school text on its touch - sieve outside and has a splashboard that features a friendly character call the navigation concierge who yield advice to the number one wood . recall you ’ll see this car in a Toyota showroom anytime soon ? It ’s possible , but do n’t bet money on it .

All of these vehicle areconcept cars– a staple of auto shows the world around . And while conception cars yield lots of news and buzz , the trueness is that they seldom become production vehicles . In fact , they are n’t intended to become production vehicle . A concept car is exactly what the name mean : a car design to demonstrate a concept . They serve many function . Concept cars can be used to prove the feasibility of newfangled engineering science . They provide a useful caliber of public involvement in new self-propelling features . They render publicity for the automaker when they appear at auto shows or in magazine photographs . And they allow automotive designer free reign to explore out - of - the - box mind that could either inspire the machine industriousness or disappear into the ashbin of self-propelled chronicle .

In most casing , concept elevator car are n’t full operative and may not even be full size of it . That ’s why they ’re often displayed where onlookers ca n’t get close enough to take care under the cowling or get an theme of how openhanded they are . When conception car are ring on to do more than ride on a display pedestal at an auto show , they may use a drivetrain adopt from an existing product auto .

While concept railroad car themselves may not make it to market , they provide the basicDNAfor auto to number . Many of the features in modern cars , include the hybrid - electric ride train , showed up in concept cars first , sometimes decades before these features made it to market . When automakers are ready to roll out a new product car , they do n’t make a concept car first . They make aproduction spirit fomite , which really shape and is actually intended for the marketplace . But concept cars rarely get beyond the auto show circuit .

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