Wayne Keith pulls up to what looks like a regular gas station in rural Alabama, but instead of reaching for the pump, he opens the bed of his 1989 Chevrolet S-10 and starts loading wood chips. The truck hasn't seen a drop of gasoline in over three years, running entirely on a technology most people assume died with the horse and buggy.
Keith's pickup runs on wood gasification, a process that heats wood to temperatures between 1,800 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit to produce syngas, a combustible mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. What sounds like backyard tinkering actually powered over one million vehicles across Europe during World War II when gasoline rationing made conventional fuel scarce.
The math behind Keith's setup reveals why sawmill waste beats premium unleaded. His Chevy consumes roughly 40 pounds of wood chips to travel 25 miles, working out to approximately three cents per mile. Compare that to current gasoline costs of 12 to 15 cents per mile, and the savings add up fast for someone driving 15,000 miles annually.
The gasifier itself looks like a steel drum welded to the truck bed, connected to the engine through a series of pipes and filters. Keith sources his fuel from local sawmills that previously paid to dispose of their wood waste. Now that waste powers his daily commute to his job at a power plant, where the irony of his fuel choice doesn't escape him.
Like this? Get the app: iOS | Android
Keith isn't alone in reviving this Depression-era technology. Ben Peterson in Minnesota converted a Toyota pickup to run on wood, documenting the process for audiences fascinated by alternatives to high fuel costs. The conversions require mechanical skill but use surprisingly basic materials, steel drums, pipes, and valves that any welding shop can fabricate.
The process starts with loading dry hardwood into the gasifier chamber. As the wood burns with limited oxygen, it produces the syngas that feeds directly into the engine's intake manifold. The truck starts on gasoline but switches to wood gas once the gasifier reaches operating temperature, typically after five minutes of driving.
Modern wood gas conversions face regulatory hurdles that didn't exist in the 1940s. Most states allow wood gasification vehicles but require emissions testing exemptions or special permits. The vehicles produce different exhaust compounds than gasoline engines, creating paperwork challenges for owners trying to register their conversions.
The technology's limitations explain why it never replaced gasoline after the war ended. Wood gasifiers reduce engine power by roughly 20 percent compared to gasoline, and the fuel preparation takes considerable time and effort. Loading, starting, and maintaining the gasifier adds 30 minutes to any trip, making it impractical for most drivers.
Recent interest in wood gasification reflects broader concerns about fuel costs and energy independence rather than environmental benefits. Wood gasification produces carbon monoxide and other emissions that modern catalytic converters weren't designed to handle, making these conversions unsuitable for urban areas with strict air quality standards.
Keith estimates his wood gasification system cost roughly $3,000 to build and install, including the gasifier, plumbing, and engine modifications. The payback period depends on driving habits and local wood availability, but rural drivers with access to free sawmill waste can recover their investment within two years of regular driving.
As gasoline prices continue climbing, Keith fields calls from curious neighbors asking about his wood burning truck. Most lose interest when they learn about the daily maintenance requirements and reduced performance, but a dedicated few are building their own gasifiers in workshops across rural America, proving that sometimes the old ways work better than anyone expected.
Sources: Mother Earth News Wood Gas Vehicle Documentation, FEMA Emergency Management Gasification Guidelines