COAL AND WOOD BURNING VEHICLES OF WWII

Due to severe shortages of gasoline, many civilian vehicles in Europe and Japan were converted to operate on gases generated from coal or wood. The gases would be condensed to liquid form and fed to the carburetor. The condensed liquid hydrocarbons would form a fuel of relatively high volatility that would be sufficient to operate the gasoline engine.

Adler limousine converted to run on wood as a source fuel

Japanese truck using coal gas to operate, circa 1949. Several Japanese vehicles still used coal to operate into the early 1950's.
The child in the photograph is the author at age 5.

Coal gas car in Sidney, Australia, Circa 1944

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