Reuters: Cuban mechanic converts old fiat to run on charcoal

Cuba’s fuel blockade is forcing locals to find alternative ways to get around.

In the town of Aguacate, 70 km from Havana, 56-year-old mechanic Juan Carlos Pino has converted his 1980 Fiat to run on charcoal, Reuters reports.

Without formal training, Pino built the system using scrap metal and repurposed items. Charcoal burns inside a modified propane cylinder, while gas filtration is handled by a homemade filter made from a plastic container filled with old clothing. In tests, the car travelled 85 km at speeds up to 70 km/h.

The two-cylinder Fiat, with its distinctive 60-litre tank, has become a local attraction. Pino says that amid the crisis, this is “the best option we have” and plans to convert a tractor to charcoal power as well.

According to the agency, power outages and strict fuel rationing have become common in Cuba, with unofficial fuel prices reaching around $8 per litre—six times the official cost.