JCB Hydromax hydrogen engine testing completed with Ricardo support for Utah land speed record
With Ricardo's help, JCB's hydrogen-powered Hydromax hit 208mph in tests ahead of an August land speed record attempt.
- 800hp
- 208mph
- 350.092mph
- 100kg
What Happened
Ricardo is supporting JCB on its hydrogen engine land speed record attempt with the JCB Hydromax. The engineering company, which specialises in complex propulsion and energy systems, is applying its hydrogen combustion and engine mechanical expertise to significantly uprate the engine. The record attempt is scheduled for August in Utah, USA, 20 years after Ricardo backed JCB's diesel-powered JCB Dieselmax land speed record.
The JCB hydrogen engine has been uprated from 74hp to 800hp, with its rated speed almost doubled. The Ricardo team also supported a reduction in engine weight by 100kg. Extensive testing was carried out at Ricardo's Shoreham-by-Sea research facilities, including running the engines on their sides to improve aerodynamics of the car, which was developed with support from Prodrive.
- 74hp to 800hp
- Almost doubled
- Reduced by 100kg
Mirroring the vehicle architecture of JCB Dieselmax, the JCB Hydromax will feature two adapted engines, with one engine-gearbox powering the front axle and one powering the rear. The world's fastest man, Wing Commander Andy Green, drove the JCB Hydromax at RAF Wittering tests, achieving a top speed of 208mph. Andy Green, who drove JCB Dieselmax, will also drive the JCB Hydromax for the world record attempt later this year. The team seeks not only to achieve the land speed record for a hydrogen vehicle but also to exceed the 350.092mph diesel land speed record set by JCB Dieselmax.
JCB Hydromax project kick-off
Land speed record attempt in Utah, USA
JCB Dieselmax set diesel land speed record with Ricardo support
“We're delighted with the results achieved at Wittering and to be able to see the JCB Hydromax car in motion and putting power down for the first time. Ricardo is incredibly proud of the achievement the JCB Hydromax team have made since the kick-off in June last year. The progress made by the team not only puts the JCB Hydromax car in a good position to achieve a world record but further demonstrat”
Why this matters
The project shows that hydrogen combustion engines can be dramatically uprated for extreme performance, supporting hydrogen as a viable future propulsion technology. The August record attempt, driven by Andy Green, will test whether hydrogen can beat the 350.092mph diesel record, potentially influencing the industry's shift toward cleaner fuels.
Terms in This Story
- Hydrogen internal combustion engine
- An engine that burns hydrogen gas instead of petrol or diesel to produce power, emitting mainly water vapour.
- Land speed record
- The fastest speed achieved by a vehicle on land, typically measured over a specified distance.
- Horsepower (hp)
- A unit used to measure the power of an engine; higher horsepower means more power.
- Uprate
- To increase the power or performance of an engine beyond its original specification.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.