Unique! This Classic Car Has Been Running on Fuel Made from Plastic Waste Since 2021

A 1984 Chevrolet Luv operated by Get Plastic, an environmental foundation based in Abiansemal, Badung, continues to traverse Balinese roads as a mobile platform for plastic waste processing education. The American pickup truck serves as Get Plastic’s operational vehicle and is used daily to collect plastic waste from communities whilst transporting a pyrolysis machine for educational purposes.

According to Get Plastic’s Executive Director Ayu Pawitri, the vehicle’s exterior shows signs of age, with its original white paint visible on the truck bed alongside the Get Plastic logo, whilst the engine cover displays rust spots and the cabin feels somewhat musty. Despite its condition, Pawitri reports that the vehicle’s mileage indicator is broken, though the vehicle continues to operate reliably.

Since 2021, the Chevrolet Luv has run exclusively on diesel fuel produced through plastic waste processing. The pyrolysis machine, which is transported in the truck bed during community education activities, converts plastic waste into fuel at a conversion rate of approximately 1 kilogramme of plastic to 1 litre of diesel. Nearly all plastic types can be processed except plastic bottles and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, which produce unsuitable fuel with minimal oil content and problematic powdery residues.

Pawitri explained that diesel produced from PVC pipes contains fluoride, making it corrosive and damaging to vehicle engines. Over five years of operation, she reported no mechanical issues with the vehicle’s engine. The pyrolysis machine can also produce 90-octane petrol suitable for motorcycles, which has been tested and validated on automatic motorcycles for commercial viability.