Taking its name from the off-road racer that Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins campaigned in the 1968 Stardust 7-11, the SCG Baja Boot is a rugged, 5.0L V8-powered adventure rig that was first introduced in 2018. Over the summer, however, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus announced that it was working on an alternative fuel variant of the off-roader known as the “Zero Emission Hydrogen Fuel Cell Boot Pickup Concept.” Nearly six months later, SCG is now giving us a sneak peek at the latest version of the hydrogen-celled adventure rig with what’s now being called the “Hydrogen Boot.”
Currently being developed to race in the first-ever zero-emissions running of the infamous Baja 1000, the hydrogen-powered Boot is based on the original 2021 concept, though boasts a number of key changes. Described by SCG as a “cryogenic supercritical hydrogen fuel cell electric Baja 1000 race vehicle,” the bed of the truck is now occupied by an enormous hydrogen fuel cell tank housed in custom tubular framework.
The concept’s hood has also been removed, leaving a full-size spare wheel on display. The model retains the concept’s quad headlight setup, though the beams have been set just beneath the windshield, rather than at the nose of the high-performance truck — just like on the original SCG Boot. The middle of the rig now also sports a protruding cooling system section with a huge front-facing scoop and a trio of fans on the backside to draw in and dispel air — a setup that’s fortified behind steel crash-bar tubing. Other additions to the Hydrogen Boot include a wide, central roof-mounted intake, a full-length roof-mounted LED lightbar, and snorkels adorning both A-pillars.
In addition to taking on the Baja 1000, SCG also plans on using this new hydrogen-powered version of the boot to produce a road-legal variant — that we imagine will also boast some serious off-road prowess. Pricing, specs, and availability for the off-road or road-going Hydrogen Boots have yet to be revealed, though considering the $287,500 MSRP of the existing ICE-engined model, we anticipate the hydrogen spec to be priced north of $300,000.
