JCB Hydromax Aims to Break 350mph Barrier

JCB is preparing for another land speed record attempt in August, this time with a hydrogen-powered vehicle named Hydromax. The effort takes place two decades after the company's famous record run with the Dieselmax streamliner.

The new vehicle will make its attempt at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the same location where the Dieselmax secured the diesel land speed record of 350.092 mph in 2006—a record that still stands today. The team aims to surpass that 350 mph benchmark with the new machine.

The Hydromax Vehicle

The Hydromax is a 32-foot-long vehicle developed as part of a £100 million, five-year project. JCB worked with partners including Prodrive, an engineering firm known for its work in high-level motorsport.

Powering the Hydromax is an in-house powertrain that uses two hydrogen combustion engines to produce a combined 1579 bhp. Unlike hydrogen fuel cell systems which generate electricity to power electric motors, these engines burn hydrogen gas directly in a process similar to how conventional engines burn gasoline. This approach is being explored as a way to achieve zero carbon emissions from an internal combustion engine.

A Legacy of Speed

The project continues JCB's history in land speed racing. Piloting the Hydromax will be RAF wing commander Andy Green, the same driver who was behind the wheel of the Dieselmax in 2006. Green holds the unique distinction of being the fastest man on Earth, having piloted the jet-powered Thrust SSC to a record 763.035 mph in 1997, breaking the sound barrier on land.

More Than Just a Record

According to JCB chairman Lord Bamford, the project's purpose extends beyond simply setting a new record. The primary goal is to demonstrate the viability and performance of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines. "If you’re serious about emissions, you have to be serious about hydrogen – and a land speed project is the perfect way to prove it," Bamford explained.

Testing for the Hydromax is set to begin in the coming month before the team travels to Utah for the annual Bonneville Speedweek from August 1-7. Official record runs, overseen by the FIA, will take place shortly after the event.