Running on a Different Kind of Oil
Japanese team stops at CSU during an around-the-world trip in a vegetable oil-powered biodiesel SUV
By Aaron Rognstad
1:05 a.m. MT Mar 28, 2008
From the front, it just looks like your average 2004 Toyota Landcruiser, minus the custom metallic blue and gold paint job, but once you pop the hatch in back, it’s apparent this is not your typical SUV.
Reminiscent of the ’81 De Lorean from the classic Spielberg flick Back to the Future, the 2004 highly-modified Toyota Landcruiser with a multitude of stainless steel boxes and cylinders protruding from its rear drew looks and inquiries on the Colorado State University plaza Tuesday.
A Japanese team of three—Shusei Yamada, Tatsuya Ito and Satori Murata—runs the Biodiesel Adventure Project, an experiment showcasing an SUV that runs solely on waste vegetable oil, which, according to the trio, is a much cleaner-burning fuel than gasoline. The group shipped the car from Japan to Vancouver six weeks ago and is now in the middle of a U.S. tour that will eventually end in New York City, where they will then ship the vehicle to Europe.
“And on from Europe we will go to Africa, then Russia, granted we can gain entry, and on to China,” said Murata, the translator of the group. “The entire trip will last over a year and will cover over 60,000 kilometers.”
Yamada, 50, a photojournalist and accomplished motorcyclist who has been to more than 140 countries in a 25-year span, built the biodiesel processor and generator found in the rear of the vehicle at a $50,000 price tag. He followed plans and advice from leading engineers in the biodiesel automotive field.
While biodiesel does have critics, Yamada looks forward to exploring what he can do with it. His ultimate goal in his travels is to test the long-distance performance of the fuel, to increase research on alternative forms of energy and to connect with new people and friends all across the globe.
“I got to thinking about the future of fossil fuels and it looks pretty bleak,” Yamada expressed in broken English and with the aid of his translator at times. “I wanted to set out on a new path and try something different that will better society.”
Nimo’s Sushi Bar & Japanese Restaurant, which is located near campus on 1220 W. Elizabeth St., delivered the team a few gallons of waste vegetable oil for their journey. The trio relies on discarded oil from restaurants at every stop they make and a large portion of the vehicle is stocked with jerrycans of the spare fuel.
“If we don’t have the fuel we can’t move,” Murata said. “We depend on others’ waste to make this happen.”
Students on the plaza expressed their interest in the SUV and provided some feedback.
“I think it’s an interesting concept and definitely something worth looking into,” said Dan Blevins, a sophomore philosophy major. “Any vehicle that veers away from the traditional form of fuel—petroleum—is a step in the right direction.”
Kim Wright is a junior electrical engineering student with a keen interest in automobiles. She found the biodiesel processor and generator fascinating and cost-effective.
“This is the future with cars right now: in biodiesel fuels,” she said. “At least they don’t have to pay for gas on their trip.”
