JCB Hydromax
| JCB Hydromax | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | ProDrive |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Land speed record vehicle (hydrogen) |
| Body style | Long |
| Layout | Dual-engine, 4-wheel drive |
| Platform | Steel lattice chassis |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Two JCB hydrogen engines with turbochargers and intercoolers |
| Transmission | Forward transmission and final drive connected to forward engine; rear transmission and final drive unit connected to rear engine |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Curb weight | ~2.6 t (2.9 short tons) |
The JCB Hydromax is a streamliner car designed for the purpose of breaking the land speed record for a hydrogen-engined vehicle.
The car was built for JCB, a British multinational equipment company. As of 2026, the car holds the world hydrogen-powered land speed record, having been driven to 406.320 miles per hour (653.909 km/h) by Andy Green. Prior to the FIA record attempt, the car set a new record at Bonneville Speed Week of 592.797 km/h (368.347 mph) in the AA/BGS class.
Design
[edit]The car is powered by two specially-tuned versions of JCB's production hydrogen internal combustion engine, each featuring four cylinders and 4.8 L (290 cu in) of displacement, accompanied by single-stage turbochargers. The dual engines are mounted on their sides in the chassis with one driving the front wheels while the other drives the rear. Each generates around 600 kW (800 bhp), more than ten times the 56 kW (75 bhp) rated output of the production unit.[1][2]
The coefficient of drag is claimed to be 10% lower than for the Dieselmax predecessor.[1] The fuel tank, is located directly behind the carbon fibre cockpit. The fully laden weight of the vehicle, including fuel, oil, ice, water coolant and the driver, is slightly less than 2,700 kg (6,000 lb).
Engineering consultancy ProDrive helped develop the chassis, with engine development undertaken by Sussex-based Ricardo.[2]
The vehicle was fitted with custom-made tyres to allow higher speed running. The original Dieselmax car used Goodyear 23×15 racing tyres,[3] with larger tyres rejected to allow for a smaller frontal area but limiting the target speeds to 350mph for safety reasons.[4][5][6]
During the 2026 Bonneville Speed Week and subsequent FIA record runs, the car was driven by Andy Green, a retired RAF Officer who previously broke, and still holds, the absolute land speed record with ThrustSSC.
Background
[edit]In 2006, JCB set a new diesel land speed record of 563.418 km/h (350.092 mph) in their JCB Dieselmax car. The record attempt was in part a marketing effort to showcase the new JCB444 engine. JCB had only recently begun manufacturing engines themselves, having previously used power units from other manufacturers in their machinery.[7]
Dieselmax did not run at its full potential. Difficulties finding suitable tyres led to a self-imposed safety limit of 350mph, and a transmission issue meant the record speed was achieved while the car was still in fifth gear (the car had six).[8]
In 2016, Lord Bamford expressed regret that the record had not been beaten and indicated that a fresh attempt could be made if the JCB record was broken.[9][10]
In 2021 JCB unveiled a hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine derived from their diesel units.[11] The engine received EU approval in 2025[12] and the first products using the engine came to market in 2026.[13] JCB chose this year - the 20th anniversary of the Dieselmax record - to pursue a record for a hydrogen-powered vehicle.
The existing FIA record for a hydrogen-powered car was 301.95 km/h (187.62 mph), set by the BMW H2R in 2004.[14] The H2R differed in using cryogenic liquid hydrogen where Hydromax ran on compressed gaseous hydrogen.[15]
Performance
[edit]Hydromax began testing on 16 June 2026 on the runway at RAF Wittering,[16] achieving a speed of 335 km/h (208 mph) by the end of testing.[17]
The Hydromax max made its first official run on the Bonneville Salt Flats as part of Speed Week, eventually attaining an average speed of 592.797 km/h (368.347 mph) to take the SCTA-BNI (Southern California Timing Association and Bonneville Nationals Inc.) event record for an 'AA/BGS' Blown Gas Streamliner on Thursday 6th August.[18].[19] Following Speed Week, JCB remained at Bonneville to pursue an FIA World Record in excess of 640 km/h (400 mph).[20]
On 11 August 2026, the JCB Hydromax car broke the official FIA land speed record for a hydrogen powered vehicle, attaining a speed of 406.320 miles per hour (653.909 km/h).[15][21][22]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Inside the JCB Hydromax". JCB. JCB. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- 1 2 Samarth Kanal (14 July 2026). "How Andy Green and JCB are going for glory with the Hydromax hydrogen landspeed record contender". raceteq.com. Aramco. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ "D2953 23.0 x 5.0 - 15 Land Speed". Carroll Shelby Enterprises. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ↑ "The 350 mph JCB". Tire Review Magazine. 30 August 2006. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ↑ "JCB Dieselmax". www.quicksilver-wsr.com – Quicksilver WSR. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ↑ "Land speed records". Tire Business. 2 September 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ↑ Alistair Weaver (11 May 2026). "Digging deep: JCB's Dieselmax land speed record breaker". Octane. Hothouse Publishing. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ David Tremayne (September 2007). "JCB Dieselmax – powering the World's Fastest Diesel Vehicle". Ingenia. Royal Academy of Engineering. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 28 March 2016 suggested (help) - ↑ "JCB hint at new diesel land speed record bid". Agg-Net.com. The QMJ Group Ltd. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- ↑ Lee Stern (26 August 2016). "JCB Dieselmax team celebrates ten-year anniversary". classicandperformancecar.com. Dennis Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- ↑ "JCB spends £100m on hydrogen engine project". BBC News. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Anjali Sooknanan (14 January 2025). "JCB's hydrogen combustion engine receives approval for use". iVT International. Mark Allen Group. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Max Carter (11 August 2026). "JCB's Hydrogen Engine: Pioneering the Future of Sustainable Construction". Engineerine. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Eric tucker. "How Stuff Works: BMW H2R". How Stuff Works. System1. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- 1 2 "FIA confirms new 406.320 mph World Land Speed Record for a hydrogen-powered vehicle". fia.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Ethan Saunders (16 June 2026). "Tests for JCB vehicle before land speed record bid". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Tom Stone (26 June 2026). "JCB Hydromax hits 208mph in UK tests ahead of Bonneville record bid". iVT International. Mark Allen Group. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Blagojce Krivevski (7 August 2026). "JCB Hydromax Sets 368.347 MPH Hydrogen Land Speed Record at Bonneville". ElectricCarsReport. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ Dominik Wilde (6 August 2026). "Hydromax gears up for LSR attempt with new Bonneville record". Racer. Racer Media & Marketing. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ Jack Evans (7 August 2026). "JCB Hydromax sets new high speed on path to world record attempt". The Irish News. The Irish News. Press Association. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "JCB Hydromax beats FIA world record". The Construction Index. 12 August 2026. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Matthew MacConnell (11 August 2026). "JCB Hydromax Sets 406-MPH Hydrogen Land Speed Record At Bonneville". Forbes. Forbes Media. Retrieved 12 August 2026.