BBC1 Presents Coffee Powered Car

After the chocolate-powered car, it seemed that nothing would ever have the power to astound us again, but apparently some people’s imagination has no limits. Just today a car that runs on coffee has been unveiled, says dailymail.co.uk.

The car named Car-pucciono is actually a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco converted by a team from the BBC1 science programme Bang Goes The Theory. The wonder will go on display at the Big Bang science fair in Manchester and aims to show how fuels other than conventional petrol and diesel can power vehicles. Unfortunately, the car’s running costs are huge: between 25 and 50 times the cost of running a car on petrol

Nick Watson, producer of Bang Goes The Theory, said: “Coffee, like wood or coal, has some carbon content so you can use it as a fuel. The coffee needs to be very dry and in pellets to allow the air to move through the pile of coffee as it burns. The brand doesn't matter.” He added that this gasification process could be used to power a car on other unusual fuels, such as “woodchips or walnut shells, construction debris or agricultural waste or landfill.”

To prove the car works, the crew will drive it for 210 miles, from Manchester to London.

Big Bang Fair patron Sir Anthony Cleaver, chairman of Engineering UK said: ”The Big Bang allows us to show young people just some of the fantastic careers that are possible with a background in science, technology and maths.”

Sponsors include industrial giants like BAe Systems, Shell, Siemens and AstraZenica.