Raft Engine and Biofuel Guide

Last Update: June 23, 2022 10:06 PM /

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Raft Engine and Biofuel Guide - cover

In this Raft Engine and Biofuel Guide, we'll tell you how the Engine works, how many Engines you need for your Raft, the best way to make Biofuel, and more!

Quicklinks: How the Raft Engine Works | How to Unlock the Engine in Raft
Raft Biofuel Guide | Best Way to Make Biofuel

How the Raft Engine Works

The Raft Engine will move your Raft forward as long as it is fueled. Each engine supports up to 100 Foundations and your Raft won't move if you have more than that. However, you can add more Engines to speed things up.

How to Fuel Your Engine in Raft

You can fuel your Engine with Planks or with Biofuel. Biofuel is the superior option since you can automate the refueling process and save yourself a lot of time.

How Long Does a Raft Engine Run?

Raft Engine will run for 45-50 minutes with one full Biofuel Tank attached to it with Fuel Pipes. Each additional full Biofuel Tank will give you another 45-50 minutes of operation time.

How Many Engines Do You Need For Your Raft?

You should build 2-5 Engines for your Raft depending on its size, although larger Rafts may need more Engines. Aiming for 2 Engines is a good starting point; once you have those, add more Engines and see if you notice any improvement in speed.

The ultimate speed of your Raft is determined by how many Engines you have and how many Foundations you have. Therefore, it's a good idea to make Engines the last thing you build on your Raft and to ensure that you have room to expand.

How to Unlock the Engine in Raft

You can unlock the Engine in Raft by progressing the story, finding its Blueprint, and Learning it at the Research Table.

Raft Engine and Biofuel Guide - How Biofuel Works

Raft Biofuel Guide

Raft Biofuel is a liquid that is almost as valuable as water -- it will let you move faster by powering your Engines and it can power your Battery Charger, giving you access to useful devices like the Electric Purifier and the Receiver.

How to Make Biofuel in Raft

Making Biofuel is different depending on which Biofuel Refiner and which food you use -- here are some simple tips on how to make Biofuel with Watermelons:

  • Biofuel Refiner - 2 Honey and 5 Watermelons will make 2 Biofuel, but you'll have to manually empty each canister.
  • Advanced Biofuel Refiner - 6 Honey and 15 Watermelon make 8 Biofuel and it can be sent through Fuel Pipes automatically, but it takes 30 minutes to make.

Growing Watermelons takes roughly 7.5 minutes. Making Honey takes around 8 minutes and requires the following to be placed in a Beehive:

  • 6 Honeycomb
  • 1 Glass

By the time you're making Biofuel, you already know that you can get Glass from Sand. Beehives will produce 1-3 Honeycomb depending on how many Flowers are placed in Small Crop Plots outside of them. 4 Small Crop Plots with 3 Flowers each (for a total of 12) will let two Beehives produce 3 Honeycomb each (for a total of 6). Therefore, 2 Beehives and 4 Small Crop Plots with 3 Flowers each will produce 6 Honeycomb per minute -- all you need to worry about after that is finding the Glass.

Watermelons are a good balance between ease of access, minimal upkeep, and Biofuel generation. However, you can use pretty much any uncooked food product, including Milk and Eggs from Animals.

Best Way to Make Biofuel in Raft

The best way to make Biofuel in Raft is a passive method -- you don't want to be running around like a madman every 5 minutes to collect stuff on your Raft. I recommend you build the following per engine:

  • 2 Biofuel Tanks
  • 1 Advanced Biofuel Refiner
    • or 4 Biofuel Refiners
  • 2 Beehives with:
    • 4 Small Crop Plots right next to them
    • 3 Flowers on each Small Crop Plot
    • 1 Scarecrow nearby (as needed)
  • 8 Medium Crop Plots with Watermelons

If you're going to have two engines, double the above number. For three engines, triple it, and so on. This will give you a reasonable amount of Biofuel without requiring you to check everything every five minutes. These numbers are just rough estimates -- you'll have to fine-tune the number of Beehives and Crop Plots to best suit your playstyle.

Additionally, staying on top of Biofuel production will also ensure that you'll have some left over for the Battery Charger. It can never hurt to have extra Biofuel stored just in case you get occupied with something else!


That's it for our Raft Engine and Biofuel Guide. Make sure to take a look at our other guides below, too!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N