What’s happening?
Peter Lewis used Rockynats 06 last weekend to showcase BOSSXC, his 1977 Ford XC, as both a custom build and a working test platform for hydrogen technology.
The event ran from 17 to 19 April 2026 in Rockhampton, where Lewis spoke with crowds about the car and the thinking behind it.
Lewis, who represents Hydroautotech, said the project has taken years to build and refine.
“So the build’s been many, many years,” he said.
“I looked at hydrogen options purely because it reduces emissions, and for diesel vehicles especially, it reduces emissions by about 50%.”
Lewis said the hydrogen system is designed to achieve more complete combustion and reduce harmful emissions.
He said the car started as a personal build before growing into something with a broader purpose.
“I started building the car probably in 2011,” he said.
“A guy called Howard Astill, we got together and teamed up and started to build.”
Lewis said the car first debuted in 2023 and has kept changing since then.
“Each time we go to a show, we’ve got a new innovation or evolution in the car,” he said.
Why it matters?
Lewis said the project is aimed at improving conditions for people working around diesel vehicles, especially in mining.
“I’ve worked in the resource sector for 40-odd years,” he said.
“My objective was to reduce emissions for underground vehicles because the diesel particulate matter is carcinogenic, and I wanted to try to improve the health and well-being of all the underground miners.”
He said hydrogen helps fuel burn more completely, which can reduce emissions by about 50 per cent.
Lewis also said the system may lower fuel use.
“If it can improve the quality of life and health of the mining workforce, that’s what I’m all about,” he said.
“And also in the current environment, significant savings in fuel. You can quite easily get, depending on the vehicle manufacturer, 15 to 20% reductions in fuel quite easily.”
Local Impact
The car gave locals something different to see at Rockynats 06 last weekend, not just as a custom build, but as a working test platform tied to cleaner diesel use and possible fuel savings.
Lewis said events like Rockynats help him explain the idea face-to-face.
“These events help promote because it’s something different,” he said.
He also said he enjoys those conversations.
“I love it. I’ve got no problems talking about this,” he said.
The weekend also brought recognition for the build itself. As a special mention, Lewis’s 1977 Ford XC, BOSSXC, picked up the Top Judged Award in the elite awards at Rockynats 06, sponsored by Meguiar’s.
By the Numbers
- Lewis said hydrogen can reduce emissions in diesel vehicles by about 50 per cent by helping create a more complete combustion burn.
- He said fuel use can drop by 15 to 20 per cent, depending on the vehicle manufacturer and the setup.
- Lewis said the system in BOSSXC draws only five volts and runs on fresh water, with distilled water preferred.
Zoom In
Lewis said the project has changed hands and grown over time.
He said Howard Astill and Darren Blackman played major roles in pushing the build forward, especially when his work in mining kept him overseas.
“Howard and Darren Blackman took over the build quite significantly and basically finished it off from an artistic perspective,” he said.
Lewis said the engineering side has kept moving in recent years.
“For the last two or three years, we’ve been working pretty extensively on improving the car mechanically and in the introduction of hydrogen,” he said.
He described the XC as more than a show car.
“The hydrogen in this car is basically a very expensive test engine,” he said.
Zoom Out
Lewis said the technology is already being used beyond this one vehicle.
“We’ve also got other, more domestic diesel vehicles running around using the system as well,” he said.
He said the team has spent about four years testing options and moving away from systems that needed more power or chemicals.
“There are other technologies out there that we’ve tried and tested,” he said.
“But for us, they drew a bit too much power. There was a use for chemicals and things like that. We didn’t want to do that.”
He said the current setup keeps things simpler.
“Our system is very low voltage. The system on this car only draws five volts,” he said.
“It uses a different technology called photon exchange membranes.”
“And it just uses fresh water. Distilled water is the best, but if you get stuck, you just buy a bottle of water and pour it in and away you go.”
What To Look For Next?
After Rockynats 06, Lewis said the car is now headed to Melbourne for MotorEx in about a week and a half.
He also said more updates are planned before the end of 2026, including a fully digitised 3D printed stainless steel exhaust system.
That means BOSSXC is likely to keep evolving as Lewis continues testing and refining the hydrogen setup.
