JCB hydrogen car smashes land speed record

JCB has officially put its hydrogen technology through its biggest test yet, setting a new world land speed record in the United States with its Hydromax streamliner.

The hydrogen internal combustion-powered car recorded an average speed of 406.320mph (653.9km/h) across two runs at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States.

Hydromax clocked 400.623mph on its first run and 412.135mph on its return run, with the two passes completed in opposite directions within an hour as required under FIA rules.

The result comfortably surpassed the previous FIA-officiated hydrogen internal combustion benchmark of 185.5mph, set by the BMW H2R in 2004. It is subject to official FIA ratification.

Behind the wheel was Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, who also drove JCB’s Dieselmax to a 350.092mph diesel land speed record at Bonneville in 2006.

The 32-foot (9.75-metre), twin-engine Hydromax is powered by two production-based JCB hydrogen combustion engines producing a combined 1600bhp.

Importantly for JCB, the engines are based on the same hydrogen technology now being used in its construction machinery and were manufactured at its engine factory in Derbyshire, UK.

JCB has invested £100 million in its hydrogen engine program as it develops an alternative to diesel for heavy construction and agricultural equipment.

JCB chairman Anthony Bamford said the Hydromax project was designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the technology at the extreme end of performance.

“Twenty years ago we came to Bonneville with JCB Dieselmax and showed what British engineering could do with diesel power,” Bamford said.

“Today we have done it again — this time with engines powered by hydrogen.

"That is the point of JCB Hydromax: it shows hydrogen works, and it works today at the highest level with zero emissions.”

The Hydromax result also exceeds the 303mph hydrogen fuel-cell speed mark, making it the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle of any kind, according to JCB.