Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Ford, USA
eBay Find of the Day: 1981 Ford Fairmont electric car made by NASA?
Click on the image for more high-res shots
Up for auction today on eBay is an extremely interesting 1981 Ford Fairmont. It's not interesting because it's a Ford Fairmont... 'cause they're not all that interesting in and of themselves, are they? What makes this one special is that it's electric. While the seller claims that it was converted by NASA, we can't seen to find any evidence to support this claim via the internet, which usually at least sheds a little light on most any subject. We did, however, locate a DOE document which shows that the vehicle underwent testing by the Army Mobility Equipment Research and Development Command. Whatever the case, the seller also says that it has a "top speed around 65 to 85 easily," a claim we also find to be a bit dubious, especially considering that the current owner has never driven it or even seen it run.
Still, this car is so peculiar that it managed to make it onto Jalopnik's Project Car Hell series, which has to at least count for something right? Not only that, but the car it's up against was another one of our awesome eBay finds too, the electric AMC Hornet which, like the Fairmont, has no batteries. How very meta. Even if you have no interest in the car, you owe it to yourself to check it out just to read the description. Enjoy!
Gallery: Electric Ford Fairmont
[Source: eBay Motors]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hank 5:24PM (6/21/2008)
This reminds me, GTE (General Telephone and Electronics) used to have a small fleet of electric cars (all silver with the GTE logo on the door) at their office building in San Angelo, TX in the 80's. Don't know that happened to them. If I recall correctly, they were K-Cars.
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Hank 5:26PM (6/21/2008)
This reminds me, GTE (General Telephone and Electronics) used to have a small fleet of electric cars at their office building in San Angelo, TX in the 80's. They were all silver with the blue GTE logo on the door. I believe they were all K-Cars. Don't know what happened to them.
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Hank 5:27PM (6/21/2008)
Sorry about the double post. I've having connection problems.
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rj 6:30PM (6/21/2008)
Lots of room for batteries I suppose - must weigh a lot.
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catherine 10:38PM (6/21/2008)
With the minivan craze in the 80's and the SUV craze in the 90's ,seeing a stationwagen makes me get all nostagic. *sniffle*
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Wave54 11:32PM (6/21/2008)
Take a look at the pictures on the eBay description page. This car with "0" miles on it is an absolute wreck. I can't believe anyone would bid on this since they'll be starting from scratch anyway. Might as well start with a lighter, more modern platform.
Ditto for the Hornet wagon with 50 miles in 28 years that went for $5000+.
Many of these early EVs being sold now don't appear to have been driven much, if at all. Either the original owners lost interest or they just didn't operate very well. They seem to have spent most of their lives in a garage or a field rusting.
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