Wood Gas Producer vs Steam Engine vs EV

[goingbush]

So in the 'Prepper' community in USA I see people are experimenting with Wood Gas Producer / Gasifier to run Petrol engines incase of a SHTF scenario.

Such as this bloke that Successfully runs his Truck off a Wood Gas producer, this video shows his 12KVA Generator running on wood gas.

Im thinking it would be more efficient to charge an EV from Wood Gas , than to run a Petrol car from Wood Gas.



https://youtu.be/yYGKn12Weu4

So I'm wondering if it would be more efficient to run a steam powered car direct from wood , EG , This steam powered Landy



https://youtu.be/ukTjY9qj0Wo

But what about a Steam engine driving a generator, charging the EV . Would be the most efficient of the lot ??


https://youtu.be/dL50Nzi7bsI

When I was a kid we lived in Forrest in the Otways and the town electricity was a big old steam engine driving a Generator .

[JDNSW]

When I was in Roma in the 1960s, I did a tour of the old power station. They had, from memory three large (200-600hp) four cylinder engines, standing about eight feet tall that were used from about the 1930s -1950 to supply power, using producer gas - which had resulted in clearing of most of the trees within about 30km of the town!

These engines had been replaced by two 1000hp eight cylinder engines standing about twelve feet tall, running on natural gas.

I don't have any figures, but I suspect that a well designed producer gas system, driving a suitable internal combustion engine, would be a little more eco-friendly than a steam engine. And you don't need a boiler certificate!

[Don 130]

Kurt Johansen drove his Dodge (phoenix?) station wagon on a wood gas generator around Australia, and he also drove it across the Simpson desert, but I'm not certain it was running on wood gas at that time. He had fitted 16" wheels to it. He boasted that all he needed to fuel up, was a tiny chainsaw an a roadside supply of sticks. An amazing man. His book, 'A son of the red centre' is well worth a read for the mechanically minded.
I think the Dodge is in the transport hall of fame, along with his Diamond T truck
kurt johansen Australia truck - Google Search (https://www.google.com/search?q=kurt+johansen+Australia+truck&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=lIYGz2snB5L__M%253A%252C29fBQ1HKXzYVaM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kSg8UNd5ZnJJM5XfO-2yHrkAhVObg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj76PCNibPfAhXFK48KHd0nCW4Q9QEwBHoECAYQB g#imgrc=lIYGz2snB5L__M:)
Don

[JDNSW]

It is a while since I read 'Son of the Red Centre', but as far as I remember, he only used the gas producer during the war, and did not drive it around Australia - although he did drive from Alice to Brisbane and back with it. And while it I think his vehicle was a Dodge, this was long before the Phoenix, and I don't think it was a station wagon. And I don't believe he drove it across the Simpson either - the first crossing of it by motor vehicle was by Reg Sprigg, somewhat after his time.