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New Zealander Modifies 1995 Chevrolet Geo Tracker into Burned Wood-Powered SUV

In the world where everybody is talking about global warming and the need for cars to switch to electric power or other cleaner methods, some people out there rather go back in time to solve the problem. This Chevrolet Tracker owner from New Zealand figured out there has to be a better way to use the leaves people were burning in the neighborhoods.
Zeeland Township resident Don Mannes 1 photo
Photo: The Holland Sentinel
Great ideas start off from simple curiosities, such is Zeeland Township resident Don Mannes, 71, who saw his neighbors burning leaves and wondered whether there is a way to use that to power an engine. After some proper research he found there were, in fact, some vehicles burning wood to propel a car before World War II.

According to The Holland Sentinel, that’s what triggered his mechanical roots and made him modify his 1995 Geo Tracker. The green Sport utility Vehicle is using nothing but carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas created by burning wood in a specially designed assembly on the back of the vehicle. Believe it or not, he isn’t even the only to do so, considering it appears some other 50 owners use the same “technology”.

The use of gasification to propel a vehicle is old school mechanics, but seeing there're people literally burning wood to drive in the 21st century must have made a lot of petrolheads raise their eyebrow. Not to mention all the adverse reactions eco-conscious people most likely had. But there’s no need to worry about pollution. In fact, the residues of this technology can later be used as fertilizer for plants.

The Tracker can also run on gasoline, even though it retains most of the power while burning wood as it does when it’s fed with gas. “I get 96 horsepower on gas and about 80 on wood-gas,” Mannes said. “It likes 55 miles per hour. A hopper full of wood will run me 100 miles.

Now, if the world would only have enough forest left to burn, this means of transportation might actually be sustainable. Still, we’re pretty sure it’s more than interesting to drive one of these puppies.
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