Some automakers persist in their research and development of hydrogen fuel cell cars even as more and more companies bet exclusively on EVs. Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus takes things a step further by working on a Boot off-roader prototype powered by cryogenic fuel.
The company itself admits: the reason why it does something no one else in the market does is because following the trends is boring and standing out from the crowd is exciting. Cryogenically frozen hydrogen gas has a greater energy density than the liquefied hydrogen commonly used in modern fuel cell powertrains. As such, it promises a far higher nominal power output, something that may come in handy in extreme off-road conditions.
The rest is pretty much all downsides, however. The biggest challenge, according to SCG, is the lack of hydrogen vehicle infrastructure – not just refueling stations, but also cryogenic gas suppliers. At this moment, the niche automaker struggles to get enough cryo hydrogen to even start testing its prototype car pictured here.
Apparently, there are only four laboratories in the United States equipped well enough to conduct cryogenic hydrogen tests at appropriate temperatures. Furthermore, no suitable container exists in the world that would serve as a cryo gas tank in a production car. All things considered, SCG has its work cut out for it if it wants to prove that its wild fantasies have a grain of reality in them. On the plus side, the company seems determined to invest more in this area.