During World War II, Australians turned to charcoal-powered vehicles - an ingenious solution that produced some remarkable sights on roads across the country.

With petrol rationing introduced in 1940 and wartime fuel shortages becoming increasingly severe, people needed alternative ways to keep cars, trucks, buses and farm machinery operating. One of the most successful solutions was "producer gas" - a fuel generated from charcoal rather than petrol.

Large metal gasifier units were fitted to vehicles, often mounted on the rear tray, side of the body or even on trailers. Inside, charcoal was heated in a low-oxygen chamber, producing a combustible gas mixture that could be fed into a conventional internal combustion engine.

The system kept vehicles moving during the fuel crisis, but it came with significant challenges.

Producer-gas vehicles suffered a substantial loss of power compared with petrol-powered vehicles, making steep hills and heavy loads difficult. Starting a vehicle could take several minutes, while drivers regularly cleaned filters, removed ash and monitored the equipment to keep it running smoothly. Contemporary accounts describe heavily loaded buses and trucks struggling on steep grades as drivers coaxed every bit of power from their engines.

Queensland's timber-producing regions became important suppliers of charcoal during the war, helping fuel vehicles, farms and transport fleets across the state.

The Australian government actively promoted the technology, publishing manuals, approving designs and encouraging the manufacture of conversion equipment to help keep essential transport moving.

There were risks too. Producer gas contained deadly carbon monoxide, while leaks and fires were constant hazards. Many drivers finished their journeys covered in soot, ash and dust from maintaining the equipment.

By 1942–43, as many as 60,000 Australian vehicles had been fitted with producer-gas units. But once petrol became readily available again after the war, the bulky gasifiers quickly disappeared. Most were removed and scrapped by the early 1950s.

Today, surviving producer-gas vehicles are rare reminders of one of Australia's most inventive wartime adaptations, when people literally fuelled their vehicles with charcoal to help keep the country moving.

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During World War II, Australians turned to charcoal-powered vehicles - an ingenious solution that produced some remarkable sights on roads across the country.

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