Charcoal Power  

Today's Herald has an interesting little "back to the future" piece about the use of charcoal powered cars during world war 2.

Rising petrol prices got you concerned? Maybe the answer is to bolt a large barbecue to the back of your car, writes James Cockington.

The petrol crisis is not the first time Australia has been forced to think of alternative sources of fuel for cars. During World War II petrol was largely reserved for essential services, so ordinary motorists were offered another source of energy, charcoal. This was turned into a gas by burning it in drums the size of washing machines perched on the rear bumper of vehicles, or squeezed into the boot space.

Gas producers, as these evil-smelling, hugely impractical devices were known, were universally hated by those compelled to use them. But with no other choice they were a common spectacle until well after the war, when petrol rationing was finally abandoned. The way things are going, they may well make a comeback. Let's pray not.