Perhaps inspired to take on the hydrogen initiative proposed by the Ministry of Environment and Water last week, someone in Malaysia placed an order or more on a hydrogen-powered Ford Ranger.

Called the H2X Warrego, the Ranger FCEVs (fuel-cell electric vehicles) will be built by Australian hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle start-up, H2X Global. The pick-up truck is merely an FCEV conversion built by H2X Global, not Ford.

The company was launched in 2020 as H2X Australia with a very ambitious plan including a hydrogen-powered SUV called the Snowy.

However, the start-up faced some funding issues and those plans had to be scrapped. With fresh investors, a new board of directors, and a new name, H2X Global has new plans which aim to see “5 or 6 digit volumes of production” of H2X models within “5 to 10 years”.

The Warrego is named after a river in Queensland, Australia and will be one of the first products to be launched. According to an investor presentation obtained from H2X Global’s website, a limited number of development mules will be released at the start of 2022 with sales to begin from the second half of 2023.

In an interview with Australian media, the Ranger-based FCEV pick-up would be initially tested by H2X Global’s local and overseas partners before being sold to the public. Each partner would take 2 to 5 vehicles in order to gain real running data.

Also read: Next-gen 2022 Ford Ranger could gain 267 PS, 680 Nm PHEV variant, arriving in Malaysia in 2023?

Prices of the Warrego has not been announced yet. Based on the same investor presentation, there are orders underway from the Netherlands, Australia, and Malaysia. Could the Malaysian buyer be a company or a research institute?

Also read: Malaysia looks to hydrogen to reduce greenhouse gases by 45% but is it just all talk?

H2X Global has yet to reveal what will be powering the Warrego but its website states that the pick-up will be available with 4x2 or 4x4, has a payload capacity of up to 1,500 kg, and has “immediate torque thanks to electric powertrain”.

As the Blue Oval has no involvement with the program, the Warrego will be covered by H2X Global with its own warranty.

Also read: 5-year warranty for 2021 Ford Ranger, upgrade available for current owners

Besides the Warrego, H2X Global will be releasing the Gen-Set hydrogen power generator. Available as either fixed or portable, these generator sets have between 2 kW to 2 MW depending on the usage. The investor presentation also states that orders are in place for deliveries to Australia, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.

It appears that H2X Global would be going the commercial vehicles route this time with its next model being a hydrogen-powered van called the Darling. Unlike the Warrego, the Darling appears to be an original model but it’s simply too soon to say just based on renderings.

Could H2X Global succeed in its plan to make a dent in the hydrogen-powered vehicles category?