Converting Cars to Run on Wood

Expensive maintenance, parts, and fuel have turned cars from a means of transportation into a luxury. Each trip to the gas station forces drivers to carefully calculate every liter of gas and every mile.

To reduce these costs, an unexpected solution is to switch your vehicle from traditional fuel to wood. Wood can be harvested and prepared by the driver, minimizing expenses.

Wood as a Fuel Alternative

"Wood-powered" cars are not a new innovation. The gasifier device, which converts solid fuel, was created as early as 1920. By the 1930s and 1940s, tens of thousands of cars, trucks, and buses in Europe were adapted to run on solid fuel.

The main component of solid fuel - wood, peat, and coal - is carbon, which, when burned, produces carbon monoxide. The gasification process is made possible by a specially designed gasifier.

The wood burning occurs in a special tank - it can be installed in the trunk, at the rear, or on a specific trailer. In trucks, the device is placed in the cargo area.

Fuel Consumption

Depending on the type of vehicle (gasoline or diesel models), the type of gasifier, and the type of fuel, the consumption of wood can vary. On average, 1 ton of dry firewood can replace 365 liters of gasoline. According to user reviews of gasifiers, with modern installations, they typically consume:

• For passenger cars - 40 kg of firewood per 100 km;
• For trucks (such as ZIL) - 120-130 kg per 100 km.

Gasifiers can be installed on special vehicles as well, like agricultural machinery - tractors, cultivators, etc. The use of gasifiers is particularly advantageous for those living in rural areas with access to forests, where fuel can be harvested almost for free.

Regarding speed, vehicles running on solid fuel may lag behind gasoline counterparts but can still reach speeds of 120-140 km/h, depending on the vehicle.

Where to Purchase?

DIY enthusiasts can create homemade gasifiers using readily available materials. Online, there are numerous schematics and guides with detailed explanations on how to build this device or paid tutorials on adapting vehicles to it. Moreover, the compact and mobile solid fuel to gas converter can also be used for heating greenhouses, among other purposes.

Gasifier production can also be commissioned at certain plants (via custom orders).

Important! Remember that installing a gasifier must be properly registered with the appropriate authorities, similar to registering a car with a gas tank installation, to avoid penalties.