Long range fuel tanks

Long range fuel tanks are sometimes fitted to motor vehicles to help extend their range. A numbers of vendors exist, and a DIY approach is certainly possible. Some vehicles can be fitted with extra or high capacity fuel tanks as a factory option.

Long range tanks for cars and trucks
There are two basic approaches to extending the range of a car or truck; carrying extra fuel cans or mounting one or several extra fuel tanks. There are also two basic approaches to long range tanks; larger capacity main tank(s) or extra tanks.

Some advantages and disadvantages to long range fuel tanks are:


 * A long range tank can utilize dead space on the vehicle, i.e. between the frame rails or inside the wheel wells.
 * A long range tank can give a lower center of gravity compared to packing extra cans.
 * Fuel handling is less messy with a tank than with separate cans.
 * Fuel in the tanks can not easily be taken out of the vehicle to lighten it for recovery operations.
 * Contamination of fuel can be easer to manage when fuel from dubious sources can be confined to properly marked cans, not introduced to the vehicle fuel system.
 * An internal tank might not be taxed at border crossings, whereas separate cans often are.
 * An extra or replacement tanks and plumbing is costlier than even high-quality fuel cans.