Is the Wood burning car the greenest of the alternative fuel vehicles?

Edmund Rappley: Wood has a low energy density. I assume you suggest burning the wood to produce steam to propel the vehicle. Imagine the size and complexity of the vehicle - a wood fired steamer on the road. Production, felling, cutting and transporting the wood to the user would use a lot of fuel as well. Sorry this is not a feasible option.

Libby Berkovitch: People will drive what they want to drive. Personally, I think people like soccer moms (people who haven't even a remote need or ability to drive large vehicles) should not drive SUVs, trucks and vans when a sedan, mini van or crossover will more than suffice. Even as trucks and SUVs are getting better economy, they still cannot compare to the hybrids and small cars with economy, so people will still continue to buy those little cars, EVs and hybrids. I can drive SUVs like a safe and competent person (learned to drive in a Suburban) and I have even a slight chance of ever using a truck or SUV in a utility cap! acity. So, my answer is yes. In fact, in the not-so-distant-but-not-so-near future, I plan on purchasing an SUV....Show more

Troy Monsivais: For those who could not be bothered to check out the link. The youtube video is of at a least a couple of guys who put some kind of wood burner in the trunk of a volvo. It looks like they are driving around with a hot water cylinder standing up. The engine sounds like a diesel. I would expect a steam engine to be quieter, but there is no indication of how it works. When he stops to refuel the vehicle you will notice a bit of smoke coming from the top of the burner. They are one car in the middle of the woods. I have been in small third world nation communities where the primary fuel is charcoal or wood. When used in a valley with little air movement the pollution can be quite intense. The problem is still the same. You are attempting to use heat to drive a vehicle. It will therefore be subject to the inefficiencies of ! any heat engine. Fuel burns and produces pollutants. To maxi! mize the motive force for the minimum amount of pollution requires an efficient engine. The electric vehicle is not a heat engine. it has a high efficiency not possible with any heat engine. We can save our fuels for doing what they are most efficient at doing: making heat to keep us warm in cold climates. With this you can be two kinds of "green." Reducing pollution is good for our environment and economic good sense puts the "green" in your pocket....Show more

Bob Pucella: Of course not, if we all had one, we'd have no trees left in 10 years!

Elfreda Grossen: no not most of them, they are basicly woodstoves that polute big time

Jess Grizzel: percaps efficient