JCB Hydromax targets world land speed record with hydrogen combustion engines

Twenty years after the JCB Dieselmax set the world diesel land speed record at 350.092 mph (563 km/h), British machinery manufacturer JCB is returning to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in August 2026. The goal: an FIA-recognised world record with a hydrogen vehicle. The car is called the JCB Hydromax, measures almost 10 metres in length and is powered by two of the company's own hydrogen engines producing a combined 1,600 bhp. Behind the wheel, once again, is Andy Green — the only person ever to have broken the sound barrier on land, with the jet-powered ThrustSSC in 1997.

Combustion, not fuel cell

An important distinction: the Hydromax does not run on a fuel cell like a Toyota Mirai or Hyundai Nexo. JCB uses hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE) technology. Hydrogen is burned in an adapted combustion engine, much like petrol or diesel. The exhaust produces mainly water vapour, with — depending on combustion conditions — small amounts of nitrogen oxides. So this is not a fully clean drivetrain like an FCEV, but it is CO2-free in direct emissions. JCB has invested around £100 million in this technology over the past five years and is already using similar engines in production diggers.

The records to beat

The Hydromax is aiming at several existing speed records:

• Hydrogen internal combustion engine: 185.5 mph (~298 km/h), set by the BMW H2R prototype in 2004
• Hydrogen fuel cell: 302.877 mph (~487 km/h), set by the Buckeye Bullet 2 in 2009
• JCB's own diesel record with Dieselmax: 350.092 mph (~563 km/h) from 2006

JCB chairman Lord Bamford has indicated the team is targeting more than 350 mph — a speed that would surpass all three existing records.

The car and the team

According to JCB, the Hydromax is lighter, more powerful and faster than its diesel predecessor. Two production-based hydrogen engines deliver a combined ~1,600 bhp; in standard form those same engines produce just 80 bhp each in diggers. The project is being delivered with motorsport partners Prodrive and Ricardo. The FIA, the international motor sport governing body, will officiate the timing of the record attempt. Testing begins in the United Kingdom; in August 2026 the team will first run at Bonneville SpeedWeek (organised by the Southern California Timing Association) and then stay on for the official FIA-sanctioned runs.

Why this matters

For the wider hydrogen mobility landscape this project matters for two reasons. First, it puts hydrogen combustion firmly on the map as a serious low-emission drivetrain for heavy-duty industrial applications — JCB sees it as the logical successor to diesel for diggers, generators and construction equipment. Second, record attempts at this scale function as technology showcases: they attract investment, talent and public attention to a technology that for most people still feels abstract. For JCB the timing is also strategic: the attempt comes just ahead of the opening of a new $500 million factory in San Antonio, Texas.

One thing to keep in mind: for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, the fuel cell (FCEV) remains the more logical choice, being more efficient and free of NOx emissions. Hydrogen combustion is gaining ground mainly in heavy machinery, where torque, robustness and weight matter more than peak efficiency.

Sources:

• FIA: official announcement of the hydrogen land speed record attempt (May 2026)
• JCB.com: press release and Hydromax project page
• Autocar: interviews with chief engineer Lee Harper and Lord Bamford
• Magneto Magazine and EV Magazine: additional coverage
• Transport & Energy: technical overview of hydrogen combustion