Michael Accardi 
Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus has officially begun work on the Glickenhaus Hydrogen Fuel Cell Boot pickup truck. The company has secured the vehicle that will form the basis of HFC Boot Job One–a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD as shown in a video shared by company founder, James Glickenhaus.
The boutique manufacturer plans to use the Silverado 2500 as the shell for the first hydrogen-fueled Boot prototype as it works towards developing a zero-emission offshoot of the company’s successful SCG Boot. The Silverado will see its engine and transmission removed, along with other superfluous components in order to make room for the fuel cell, electric motors, and other assorted systems required to convert the truck to hydrogen power.
Unlike Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Rivian, and Tesla, all of whom are pursuing electric solutions to America’s pickup truck problem, Glickenhaus is going its own unique way with swappable tanks filled with cryogenic hydrogen. The company claims the DOT compliant tanks can be easily changed year-round, just as easily as one would swap out the tank on your BBQ.
Using liquid hydrogen means the tanks actually contain more energy density compared to tanks of compressed hydrogen gas. According to SCG, batteries today store less than 0.5 Megajoules of energy per kilogram of battery, compared with 46 MJ/kg for gasoline, and 120 MJ/kg from hydrogen. It’s easy to see why the company is traveling down this path with confidence. SCG envisions a future where these tank swaps can happen in existing gas stations, your home garage, or parking lots across the nation.
The HFC SCG Boot is expected to provide a range of 600-1000 miles, greater than even the longest-range EVs on the market currently, with the added benefit of not having to haul around 1,800 lbs or more of lithium-ion battery packs. The weight savings will in turn allow the HFC SCG Boot to offer a greater payload and hauling capabilities than the current crop of EV trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford F-150 Lighting EV, and the Rivian R1T. Eventually, the HFC SCG Boot will be sold to the public at a projected price of $100,000.
The video also shows how quickly SCG is growing, with its Danbury, Connecticut facility entering another phase of expansion as the company aims to build 300-400 assorted vehicles per year between the SCG Boot, HFC Boot, SCG 003, SCG 004, and SCG 007 Hypercar.
