Nathaniel Poole's kitchen-grease-powered Mitsubishi Delica was a road test like no other.
The Delica's engine is set beneath the floor and it has a panoramic glass roof reminiscent of a 1960s Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon. Thanks to an obscure Japanese vehicle-tax regulation, the Delica's front and rear wheels are set close together, giving it the look of an overweight camel on tip-toes.
The greaser Delica features unusual controls and instruments: the steering wheel is on the right and there are two fuel gauges – one for the kitchen grease tank, the other for diesel. A rocker switch lets you toggle between the two fuel supplies.
With about 95 horsepower and a weight estimated at somewhere near 2,500 kilograms, the Delica is no rocket ship. It lumbers down the road like an overloaded camel. I keep my steering inputs smooth and gentle – with a short wheelbase and a top-heavy design made even worse by the addition of a kitchen unit and roof-mounted camper, the Delica is a rollover waiting to happen.
And yet it has its own special charms. The diesel motor burbles gently, running perfectly on its stream of kitchen grease. I flick the switch to toggle over to the diesel fuel system, then back to grease again. I don't see any performance difference. The only way to tell I'm running on grease is the aroma: when I brake for a stoplight, the exhaust fumes waft over the car in a warm, gusting bouquet that reminds me of fresh-baked doughnuts.
Out on the road, the Delica induces a moving Zen state: There isn't enough power to go fast, so I enjoy the slow, fragrant ride. We are being propelled by used cooking oil, riding for free. You have to like that.
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