JCB to showcase hydrogen engine capability with diesel record challenge
Testing will begin in the U.K. before the team heads to Bonneville SpeedWeek, a land speed racing event, where competitors from around the globe gather to chase records on the vast Salt Flats. JCB Hydromax will run with two production-based hydrogen engines, producing a combined 1,600 bhp. SpeedWeek is run by the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), which governs and verifies official class records at the event.
The team will then remain at Bonneville to pursue officially recognised world records under the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motorsport.
JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford, who has spearheaded the company’s hydrogen program, said: “Britain has a proud heritage of setting speed records and, as a British company, I’m excited to challenge for a new one using hydrogen. This is not just about speed — it’s about showcasing the world-class engineering talent we have here in the U.K. and the robustness of our new hydrogen engines.”
“JCB Dieselmax was always a bit of an unusual idea — but it proved a point. Putting an advanced engine into a land-speed car showed the world what it could do in a way a digger never could. It’s the same thinking with hydrogen today. 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.”
He added: “As for the speed, we’re aiming for with JCB Hydromax — we intend to beat 350 mph.”
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