Most of us are familiar with the concept of a hybrid vehicle. But a car fueled by wood- is that even possible? According to Jalopnik, a parliamentary candidate from Finland has converted his private vehicle, a 1987 El Camino, into a wood powered machine.
The car is dubbed the El Kamina, with Kamiina meaning stove in Finnish. The Kamina was created by the candidate to highlight the use of biofuels and the potential to reduce the use of imported fuels. The wood burning system can fuel the vehicle for 125 miles on a 175 pounds of wood chips, although the vehicle can carry enough wood fuel for an 800-mile trip.
The vehicle weighs 4,400 pounds with the new system in place but can still manage a top speed of 87 miles per hour. The Kamina doesn’t have to run on just burning wood. The system implemented can actually combine the wood fuel with gasoline to power the V8 Chevy.
According to the candidate, the wood-powered vehicle has the potential to pave the way for hobbyist-built electric automobiles. Although the car seems unique to us, the Finnish Society of Cars Converted to Wood Gas, has converted several vehicles to a wood-burning fuel system. These vehicles include Saabs, Volvos and many pickup trucks. Surprisingly, even a Toyota Camry has been converted to this system.