What would I want next to me if I was in Russia at any point in time during the winter? A fire. I’m a pansy in the cold…wilting, shivering, absolutely unhappy with the overall situation. I’m not a fan of damp, cold, frigid temperatures and would be more than happy to sit right next to a roaring fire. Or a heater in a car. Even a little tin can like a Lada Samara would be welcomed, so long as the heater functions. But in comes the environmentals who absolutely abhor the idea of an internal combustion engine running all the time keeping my little tootsies warm.

Fire…small car…and keeping greenies happy. How do you combine those elements into a workable situation? Why not a steam-powered car? Those haven’t been popular in a century or so, but neither were electrics for decades and look where they’re at now. Surely, fitting a firebox and a couple of very sketchy tanks into what used to be a Lada can make the little squirrel cage under the hood get up and do something…right?