The British engineering firm JCB achieved two new land speed records within a week using its hydrogen-powered car, the JCB Hydromax.
Two records in five days
On August 6, the 32-foot-long vehicle hit 368.347 mph on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, breaking a Southern California Timing Association record. Five days later, it returned and set a new Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) world record for a hydrogen internal combustion-powered vehicle at 406.320 mph.
The FIA requires two one-mile runs in opposite directions within an hour. The Hydromax averaged 400.623 mph on its first attempt and 412.135 mph on the second, securing the final speed. The previous FIA record, held by BMW’s H2R since 2004, stood at 185.5 mph.
The Hydromax also exceeded JCB’s own diesel record of 350.092 mph, set in 2006 by the JCB Dieselmax. Unlike its predecessor, it emitted no carbon dioxide.
The pilot behind the wheel
Andy Green, a former Royal Air Force fighter pilot, drove the vehicle. He holds the outright world land speed record from 1997, when he became the first—and remains the only—person to break the sound barrier on land, reaching 763.035 mph in the Thrust SSC.
That vehicle, which resembled a missile, was tested in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Green’s background in high-speed vehicles made him the ideal choice for the hydrogen project.
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While hydrogen engines aren’t new, their use in land speed records is rare. The Hydromax’s performance proves the technology can rival traditional combustion engines at motorsport’s highest levels.
Beyond the track
JCB’s chairman, Anthony Bamford, stated the record demonstrated more than speed. “This record was set by production-based engines, the same ones powering JCB diggers right now,” he said. “The point of the Hydromax is to show hydrogen works today at the highest level with zero emissions.”
The company has long used motorsport to test engine durability. The Dieselmax, for instance, relied on modified versions of engines used in its construction equipment. The Hydromax continues this approach but shifts focus to sustainability.
Hydrogen faces criticism over production challenges and infrastructure gaps. Still, the record shows it can deliver performance without the emissions of gasoline or diesel. The next step is determining whether the technology can move beyond niche uses.
The Bonneville Salt Flats have hosted land speed records for nearly a century, but few vehicles have matched the Hydromax’s blend of speed and zero-emission operation. The achievement serves as a proof of concept, one JCB hopes will spur interest in hydrogen as a fossil fuel alternative.
