JCB Unveils Hydrogen-Powered Hydromax, Aims for 350mph Land Speed Record in August

British construction equipment manufacturer JCB has unveiled its hydrogen-powered vehicle, the Hydromax, aiming to challenge its own diesel land speed record set in 2006 during the Bonneville Speedweek event in August 2024 on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. That record—350.092 mph (approximately 563.4 km/h)—was achieved by JCB’s Dieselmax and remains unbroken to this day. The Hydromax measures 32 feet (about 9.8 meters) in length and is powered by JCB’s proprietary hydrogen combustion powertrain, featuring two engines delivering a combined output of 1,579 bhp. The project, developed over five years with an investment of £100 million, was carried out in collaboration with multiple partners. Testing of the vehicle will begin in June ahead of its participation in Speedweek, scheduled for August 1–7. Andy Green, who set the diesel land speed record in 2006 driving the Dieselmax and became the first person to break the sound barrier on land in 1997 aboard Thrust SSC—reaching 763.035 mph—will once again be at the wheel of the Hydromax.