A vehicle (10) driven by a homogeneous-charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine (12) includes a fuel supply that supplies a hydrocarbon fuel in a first amount and an acetylene supply that supplies an acetylene-based component in a second amount. A cylinder (18) has a piston (34) reciprocally driven therein. The cylinder (18) receives a combustion mixture including a third amount of air, the first amount of hydrocarbon fuel and the second amount of the acetylene-based component. The piston (34) compresses the combustion mixture to induce autoignition of the combustion mixture. The acetylene-based component includes one of acetylene, an acetylene-hydrogen mixture, and a mixture of acetylene, hydrogen and other products of the acetylene production process.