Aussie rival for Tesla Cybertruck

The ambitious Australian electric vehicle start-up H2X has revealed plans to develop a fuel cell ute to rival the likes of the Tesla Cybertruck.

While not a confirmed part of its production roll-out as yet, the ute is being shown off in sketch form by H2X, which last week revealed its intention to reboot Australian vehicle manufacturing by tapping the nation’s potential to produce abundant hydrogen.

The first vehicles it intends to build at an assembly plant in Port Kembla, NSW, starting as soon as July 2021 are understood to be a hydrogen-powered prime mover and a bus.

It then plans to move into smaller commercial vehicles such as vans and  taxis before attempting to crack the private passenger market with models like the recently revealed Snowy SUV.

But the as yet un-named hydrogen fuel cell ute could be the best bet for private success in Australia, given the popularity of the category for both work and family transport.

While the sketch shows a single cab, H2X CEO Brendan Norman told carsales.com.au a dual cab version would make more sense in Australia.

“The dual cab is definitely the one we would come with to Australia,” Norman said. “As it’s a way off the design intention was designed to look a bit Mad Max.

“But we kind of like it so that is how we will approach it. 

“Once we scope the market and the customers voice, we will get a bit more clarity on that. 

“We need to do our homework, and now we are out in the open we can start to do that in haste.”

The H2X ute would be a rival for not only the Tesla Cybertruck, but a burgeoning number of electrified pick-ups, such as the Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 electric and the Nikola Badger, which the Arizona start-up has already stated it intends to sell in Australia.

While the mechanical details of the ute are unknown publicly, it could share with the Snowy, about which we know a little more thanks to the H2X website.

It’s described on the site as a hydrogen fuel cell/battery electric “super hybrid” with inbuilt brake and suspension kinetic energy systems and a 650km NEDC range.

Fuel cell capacity is listed as 60kW and hydrogen storage at five kilograms. A 1mWh/600v ultracapacitor is also part of the drivetrain along with a 200kW electric motor. The specs of an optional plug-in rechargeable battery are not given.

H2X claims a 6.9 sec 0-100km/h time for the front-wheel drive Snowy.

Confusingly, the site also lists two different sets of significantly different measurements for the Snowy. One gives its length at 4565mm and the other 4300mm.

Norman has also told carsales that H2X is privately funded and is budgeted to produce its first round of commercial vehicles.

Beyond that he revealed H2X would be seeking further funding.

“We have got a secure (financial) position to go forward with a sustainable business with those (commercial vehicles)  at the moment,” he said.

“Regarding the passenger vehicle we are looking for additional funding on that and so far that has gone very well. We have had a couple of very good discussion which I would say are very close to being closed.

“But the most important is we can start a sustainable business. I would say we are looking at getting up to the 5000 vehicle per year volume with the products we have already secured.

“But we are looking at a business that will take us into the 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000 and more mark over coming 10 years or so. To get to that point we will be looking for a bit more funding.

“We will have a funding round to get into that higher volume segment in the middle of next year.”