Hydrogen-Powered JCB Hydromax Sets World Speed Record at 654 km/h

The 9.75-meter British land-speed vehicle JCB Hydromax set a new world speed record for hydrogen-powered cars, reaching 654 km/h. According to BBC, this result is more than double the previous record held by the BMW H2R hydrogen concept car.

At the wheel of the record-breaking vehicle was 64-year-old British driver Andy Green, holder of the absolute land speed record (1,228 km/h in the jet-powered ThrustSSC in 1997). As noted by Euronews, the motorsport veteran initially doubted his participation due to his age, but returned to the cockpit at his wife’s insistence.

Engineering features and project goals

Equipment manufacturer JCB spent 5 years developing the hydrogen powertrain, investing roughly £100 million in the project. The car is equipped with two direct-combustion hydrogen engines generating a combined 1,600 hp. The powertrain’s only exhaust product is purified water vapor.

The primary goal of the record run was to prove to the industrial sector the viability of hydrogen ICEs as a replacement for diesel units in heavy construction machinery, where standard traction batteries struggle with heavy loads. For the attempt, JCB used certified “green” hydrogen produced via electrolysis using renewable energy sources.

Former fighter pilot Andy Green drove a JCB hydrogen-powered Hydromax car setting a world land speed record of 406 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah https://t.co/LTT8gWnlu5 pic.twitter.com/hvMZJ8hMTj

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 12, 2026