(literally, "coal car") is the
Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...
word for a
minibus
A minibus, microbus, or minicoach is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is us ...
that has been
converted to run on coal instead of
gasoline
Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...
. Typically, two tall tanks were mounted to the back of the vehicle, flanking the rear door. Periodically, the driver's assistant () would come around back to clear the tanks of soot using a metal pole.
This modification regained popularity in
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
during the
subsidy period
''Thời bao cấp'' () generally refers to the period between 2 July 1976 and 18 December 1986 (Vietnamese reunification to the beginning of Đổi Mới economic reforms) when Vietnam was under Soviet-type economic planning during relative peac ...
, when gasoline was in short supply. The modified vehicles were notorious for their short range, plodding pace, and dirty operation. Cyclists and motorcyclists, who commonly hitched onto automobiles for an easier ride, could get hurt from hot coal falling from the vehicle onto their faces. Those who stayed back were still at risk of falling coal getting in the way of their wheels.
became much less common during the
Đổi Mới
(; ) is the name given to the economic reforms process of Vietnam since late 1986 with the goal of creating a " socialist-oriented market economy". The term itself is a general term with wide use in the Vietnamese language meaning "innovate" ...
period, when gasoline became widely accessible again.
See also
*
Gasifier
Gasification is a process that converts biomass- or fossil fuel-based carbonaceous materials into gases, including as the largest fractions: nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (). This is achieved by reacting ...
*
Plasma gasification
Plasma gasification is a thermal process that converts organic matter into a syngas (synthesis gas) which is primarily made up of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A plasma torch powered by an electric arc ionizes gas and transforms organic matter ...
*
Wood gas generator
A wood gas generator is a gasification unit which converts timber or charcoal into wood gas, a producer gas consisting of atmospheric nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, traces of methane, and other gases, which – after cooling and filtering ...
References
*
* {{cite news, title=Xe 'than', trans-title="Moaning" cars, author=Phạm Trần, work=
Tuổi Trẻ
''Tuổi Trẻ'' ("Youth", or ) is a major daily newspaper in Vietnam, published in Vietnamese by the Hồ Chí Minh City branch of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, the youth wing of the Communist Party of Vietnam. While it is still ...
, location=Ho Chi Minh City, date=20 November 2006, accessdate=23 April 2023, url=https://tuoitre.vn/xe-than-173363.htm, language=vi
Vietnamese words and phrases
1970s in Vietnam
1980s in Vietnam
Road transport in Vietnam
Modified vehicles
Coal in Vietnam