By The European Times | Created at 2026-07-23 11:39:45 | Updated at 2026-08-04 23:25:11
1 week ago
Cuba is struggling with a serious energy crisis caused by the cessation of oil supplies from the United States and Venezuela in January. As a result, gasoline is rationed by the authorities, and power outages are common. On the black market, the price of gasoline is currently reaching $ 8 per liter, which is six times higher than the official state price.
Cuban converted Fiat 126p to run on coal, reported Reuters.
To overcome the problem of fuel shortages, mechanic Juan Carlos Pino converted his 1980 Fiat 126p to run on coal. This technology is not new, and the author of the conversion himself admitted that the idea of creating such a car had been bothering him for years. The Cuban was inspired to do it by his late uncle, who was also a mechanic and taught him the basics of designing power systems for power units with the so-called. “holzgas” used during World War II.
Juan built a new energy system for the little one using recycled materials. The role of the fuel tank is played by a 60-liter propane cylinder sealed with a transformer cover. The filter, on the other hand, is a balloon filled with old clothes. The whole structure is attached to the back of the car (removing the tailgate provides excellent access to the engine) and connected to the power unit. Instead of gasoline, it sucks gas from burning charcoal.
By the way, it is worth noting that the power system has already undergone at least a few modifications (like most local cars). From the outside, silver paint, tinted windows and a roof rack with the inscription “AC Racing” attract attention. In the interior, there is a steering wheel with metal spokes and a thick wooden rim. The instrument panel and part of the dashboard also have a wooden finish. The whole thing is complemented by bright seat covers with the inscription “Polish Fiat”. No wonder the locals call the owner of the little boy “Polaquito” or “Polak”.
Are coal engines the answer to the fuel crisis?
The car’s owner is very happy with his design. During one of the tests, he covered 85 km, reaching a speed of 70 km/h. Juan admits that he would prefer to drive on petrol, but in the current situation, coal is the only way to use his car. He also announces in an interview on YouTube that a similar modification will be made to his farm tractor, thanks to which he will be able to work in the field without problems, even if the fuel crisis continues.
The coal-powered Fiat is generating great interest in the local community, and it’s not just the drivers. The lack of electricity and fuel for generators means that the possibility of using coal instead of petrol could be a solution to energy problems, at least locally.
How does the Holzgas engine work?
The technology for powering vehicles with wood gas dates back to the beginning of internal combustion motorization – The Holzgas generator was then a way to cope with the shortage of liquid fuels. During World War II, trucks powered by wood gas were used, for example, by the German army, and even before the war, several buses with a Holzgas engine were running around Warsaw.
In the absence of fuel, wood gas had a number of advantages. The biggest one is the ability to generate gas from all organic matter. To power the engine, all you need is brushwood, straw or chopped wood. Unfortunately, this is practically the end of the list of advantages of this technology. The resulting gas has a low calorific value, and the installation for its extraction takes up a lot of space.
Using charcoal as fuel, as the owner of the little Fiat in Cuba does, allows for a simpler and smaller design. Therefore, it is possible to attach it to the back of the wagon – in the case of wood for passenger cars, gas generators are mounted on trailers.
However, this does not solve the problem of the low calorific value of wood gas, which leads to to a reduction in engine power by 30-50 percent. The described Fiat 126p has a 2-cylinder engine with a volume of 652 cm3 and a power of 24 hp, so when driving “on coal” its owner has 12-17 hp. Of course, provided that the 46-year-old car has retained its factory parameters. Very modest values, but as tests show, it is enough to move freely.
