How Much Wood is Need to Run a Wood-Burning Truck?

Reader Contribution by Chris Saenz
Published on August 23, 2012
article image

So… How much wood could a wood-truck chuck if a wood-truck could chuck wood? Let’s find out.

Quoting Wayne Keith:

“Most people want to know, how much wood does it burn? In controlled studies we did at Auburn University, my Dodge Dakota got about 1.25 miles per pound of dry wood. It turns out that the truck is 37% more efficient on woodgas than gasoline, so it works out to 16 lbs per gallon equivalent.”

“Sometimes people jokingly ask how many miles I get per log. When I tell them that my truck goes 5,200 miles per cord they stop laughing. Firewood in most rural areas sells for around $50 per cord. So if I were to buy wood, I could travel for less than a penny per mile. However I have never had to buy firewood or cut a live tree to feed my trucks. I get all the scrap wood I can use from my homemade sawmill. Wood gas is a great fit for me since I have scrap wood laying right in my way.”

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368