Story perspectives

JCB Hydrogen Car Smashes 406 mph World Land Speed Record

8/12/2026

Summary

Andy Green Record

Andy Green OBE drove the JCB Hydromax to a world land speed record on Bonneville Tuesday, averaging 406.320 mph with runs of 400.623 mph and 412.135 mph.
The 406.320 mph average eclipses the 185.5 mph hydrogen record (BMW H2R, 2004) and the 350.092 mph diesel record (JCB Dieselmax, 2006).
The 32-foot Hydromax uses two production hydrogen engines that produce 1,600 hp.
JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford said the run shows hydrogen can power high-performance vehicles with zero emissions.

Summary

Andy Green Heat

JCB signed a contract to purchase green hydrogen produced with renewable energy, a tiny share of global output.
Professor Greg Keoleian said high production costs keep hydrogen from wider use, but extracting hydrogen from natural deposits could lower costs.
Driver Green endured cockpit temperatures over 122 °F (50 °C) during the run after four months of gym and hot-bath training at the Bonneville Salt Flats 100 miles west of Salt Lake City.

Summary

Hydromax Record

The FIA must certify a two-way average run for the Hydromax to claim an official record.
The SCTA logged the Hydromax at 368.347 mph, beating the 2010 record of 348.342 mph.
Critics say hydrogen’s octane rating above 130 puts the Hydromax in the FIA’s Fuel class, letting it exploit a loophole against nitromethane dragsters over 450 mph.
JCB is supplying £100 million (KES 16.5 billion) to tie the speed attempt to its clean-transport agenda.

History

Historical Context

In 2000 James W. Heffel’s hydrogen-converted Shelby Cobra reached 108.16 mph at Bonneville, proving hydrogen could power a record-class car. BMW later demonstrated a 301 km/h (187 mph) hydrogen ICE in the Hydrogen 7 (2005-07), reinforcing the concept. Today JCB’s Hydromax, piloted by Andy Green at the same venue, builds on those early successes and seeks to push hydrogen-powered speeds beyond earlier limits.

1 of 4

Andy Green Record

Andy Green OBE drove the JCB Hydromax to a world land speed record on Bonneville Tuesday, averaging 406.320 mph with runs of 400.623 mph and 412.135 mph.
The 406.320 mph average eclipses the 185.5 mph hydrogen record (BMW H2R, 2004) and the 350.092 mph diesel record (JCB Dieselmax, 2006).
The 32-foot Hydromax uses two production hydrogen engines that produce 1,600 hp.
JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford said the run shows hydrogen can power high-performance vehicles with zero emissions.

1 / 4