No, if it is old school cap and rotor with coil, it will be fine. If electronic ignition, then possibly no bueno. Cars are generally fine anyway, the metal of the body does get a large voltage induced, but theoretically it needs to have a difference in potential to allow current to flow. The only way current will flow is if your car is grounded. Everything can be raised to a high voltage potential without damage. We really don't have any hard data for EMP of any significant level to really know what to expect over land. Most nuclear explosions are underground or over the ocean. The testing in the early days in the Western US didn't result in catastrophic EMP that destroyed everything electrical/electronic. If a jet can be struck by lightning, which happens fairly often without destroying the sensitve elctronics, I think cars will be fine.
Would it effect the ignition system,.spark plugs and such?
No, if it is old school cap and rotor with coil, it will be fine. If electronic ignition, then possibly no bueno. Cars are generally fine anyway, the metal of the body does get a large voltage induced, but theoretically it needs to have a difference in potential to allow current to flow. The only way current will flow is if your car is grounded. Everything can be raised to a high voltage potential without damage. We really don't have any hard data for EMP of any significant level to really know what to expect over land. Most nuclear explosions are underground or over the ocean. The testing in the early days in the Western US didn't result in catastrophic EMP that destroyed everything electrical/electronic. If a jet can be struck by lightning, which happens fairly often without destroying the sensitve elctronics, I think cars will be fine.
Good luck getting gas pumps to fill it in the event of EMP.
Don't need it. Mine are all diesel. Biodiesel is the only thing I can actually make myself, so I got rid of gasoline and switched to diesel