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In Santa Catarina, An Inventor Keeps A Rare Tradition Alive: Built A Wood-Fueled Car Able To Travel 80 Km With 20 Kg Of Wood, That Can Still Be Lit With A Simple Match.
While the world accelerates towards electric vehicles, in Benedito Novo, Santa Catarina, a Brazilian keeps alive a family invention that has crossed generations. His name is Elemer Schmidt, and his car, built by his father in 1977, continues to run on a fuel that many would consider unlikely: a wood-fueled car.
The curious limousine gained attention in a report from Domingo Espetacular, from Record. At first glance, it looks like a collectible vehicle, but the surprise is in the rear — there, an iron boiler reveals its secret: it is the only functioning automobile in Brazil powered by wood.
Although the report does not mention the model, the vehicle is a 1952 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 2-Door Sedan, manufactured in the United States and recognized for its robust and elegant design.
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Adapted to become a wood-fueled car by the Schmidts, it retained its original structure and gained a completely handcrafted propulsion system, the result of ingenuity and patience.
Fuel That Comes From The Forest
The fuel used by Elemer is stored in a special compartment with a capacity of 20 kilograms of wood, enough to travel up to 80 kilometers. When the stock is nearing its end, he prefers to refuel before reaching 70 kilometers driven.
In emergency situations, he relies on a 10-liter auxiliary gasoline tank, which ensures safety on long trips.
To start, no key or ignition button is needed: a piece of newspaper and a match are enough. Elemer lights the fire, turns on a fan to draw in air, and waits about a minute until the engine starts running by suction. It’s a ritual that blends technique and tradition.
Inside the car, other gadgets surprise. There are two accelerators — one controls the gas produced by burning wood, and the other is conventional, connected to the gasoline tank.
The system that regulates the oxygen mixture is also operated manually, requiring sensitivity and practice.
On one trip, when the fuel ran out in the middle of the road, Elemer improvised: he collected bamboo shoots from the roadside and used them as emergency firewood. The experience proved that, with creativity, the car always finds a way to move forward.
Legacy Of World War II
The principle behind the vehicle is the gasifier, a technology that emerged during World War II as an alternative to gasoline shortages. The system converts the burning of wood into a flammable gas capable of fueling internal combustion engines.
During the 1940s and 1950s, gasifiers were common in rural areas of Brazil. It was an ingenious solution that replaced oil with a local and renewable resource.
The operation is based on a process called gasification: wood is heated in an environment with little oxygen, going through four phases — drying, pyrolysis, oxidation, and reduction. First, the material loses moisture; then, heat breaks down its structure and releases gases. Part of the carbon reacts with oxygen and generates heat; subsequently, the resulting carbon dioxide reacts with the remaining carbon, forming carbon monoxide (CO), the main fuel gas.
The result is what is called “poor gas”, a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane, and nitrogen. Although it has low calorific power, it is sufficient to drive the engine. Before reaching the carburetor, the gas passes through filters and coolers, which remove impurities and reduce the temperature.
Gasifier-powered cars have four main parts: the reactor, the gas washer, the cooler, and the mixer. The set is bulky, which explains why many vehicles needed external compartments. Despite being heavy and requiring space, the system offered an invaluable advantage: independence from oil.
The Beginning Of A Legacy
Elemer’s limousine began taking shape in the late 1970s. His father, Arnoldo Schmidt, conceived the project and built it with his son over six months, always at night or on weekends.
The work resulted in a unique vehicle, completed on October 16, 1977. Five years later, the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) officially approved the adaptation, issuing a certificate recognized by Detran. The document allows the car to circulate legally throughout the country — an achievement that provides peace of mind to the family during inspections.
Over time, the car became part of local history. Elemer proudly remembers trips to Curitiba, Lages, and Florianópolis, driving the two-ton automobile that, in over seventy years of existence, has had only one minor accident.
Relic Of Love And Memory
Elemer has received numerous purchase proposals, some involving trades for modern cars, but he has never accepted. “It’s not for sale,” he states firmly.
The connection with the vehicle goes far beyond its material value. Arnoldo Schmidt, the creator of the limousine, passed away in 2021 from Covid-19.
His wife, Mrs. Helga, participated from the very beginning of the construction and remembers family trips when the trunk and the back seat were filled with logs — fuel and a reminder of a time when creativity and necessity went hand in hand.
In a room in the house, the family keeps a true “stockpile of the future”: suspension, hood, roof, and other parts stored for over 40 years, bought from junkyards. The goal is to ensure that even if factories stop producing components, the limousine never stops running.
The Engineering Of The Gasifier
The system created by Arnoldo and maintained by Elemer demonstrates the classic operation of the gasifier. During operation, wood is burned in a reactor, releasing flammable gases that are filtered, cooled, and sent to the engine.
The process requires constant maintenance: filters need to be cleaned frequently, and the wood must be dry and cut evenly to ensure good combustion.
In addition, the engine’s power is reduced by 30% to 40%, which makes acceleration slower and the starting time longer — since the system needs to heat up before producing enough gas.
Despite these limitations, the efficiency and simplicity of the system charm those who know it. The engine roars differently, and the smell of smoke reveals its origin. For Elemer, however, the ritual of lighting the fire and hearing the car come to life is more than routine — it is a tribute to his father’s memory.
Tradition And A Symbol Of Ingeniousness
Today, the 1952 limousine represents much more than a curious invention. It is a symbol of ingenuity, affection, and resilience.
A daughter-in-law of Arnoldo describes him as a wise man — someone who, with simple tools and practical ideas, managed to create something extraordinary. Elemer, now responsible for maintaining the legacy, promises to preserve the car and pass it on to his son, keeping alive the flame that began almost half a century ago.
While the world seeks clean energy and silent automobiles, the wood-fueled limousine continues its journey through the streets of Benedito Novo.
The sound of the engine and the smell of smoke mark the passage of a story that defies time and reminds us that, sometimes, the future can emerge from the embers of the past.
involução
Carro movido a Gasogenio não é novidade. Isso dá época da segunda guerra.
Tinha que ser um brasileiro mesmo para fazer isso.