<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> An ignition system generates a spark or heats an electrode to a high temperature to ignite a fuel - air mixture in spark ignition internal combustion engines oil - fired and gas - fired boilers, rocket engines, etc . The widest application for spark ignition internal combustion engines is in petrol (gasoline) road vehicles: cars (autos), four - by - fours (SUVs), motorcycles, pickups, vans, trucks, and buses . </P> <P> Compression ignition Diesel engines ignite the fuel - air mixture by the heat of compression and do not need a spark . They usually have glowplugs that preheat the combustion chamber to allow starting in cold weather . Other engines may use a flame, or a heated tube, for ignition . While this was common for very early engines it is now rare . </P> <P> The first electric spark ignition was probably Alessandro Volta's toy electric pistol from the 1780s . </P>

What electric generator produced the spark for early car engines