JCB Hydromax hits 208 mph in UK testing ahead of Bonneville record bid

JCB has finished UK shakedown testing of its hydrogen-powered Hydromax car after the vehicle reached 208 mph at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire. The run clears the way for a Bonneville attempt next month as JCB targets a new world hydrogen land speed record.

Why it matters: - JCB is trying to prove hydrogen combustion can work in extreme high-speed competition, not just in industrial equipment. - A successful Bonneville run would extend JCB’s record-setting run across vehicles and support its broader hydrogen engine investment. - The project also serves as a live test of refuelling, crew coordination and vehicle durability under record-attempt conditions.

What happened: - JCB completed UK testing of its hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax car at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire, England. - The 32-foot car reached 208 mph under its own hydrogen power, up from 177 mph earlier in the programme. - Wing Commander Andy Green OBE drove the car during the shakedown runs. - The testing finished yesterday. - JCB will now prepare the car for shipment to the United States ahead of a Bonneville attempt next month.

The details: - The Hydromax was unveiled at JCB’s World HQ in Staffordshire on May 12. - The car uses two production-based hydrogen digger engines with combined output of 1,600 bhp. - The team refined the hydrogen refuelling process during testing. - JCB said the refuelling work matters because turnaround time can determine whether a record run can happen on the Bonneville Salt Flats. - JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford said the testing delivered real-world data, a car that runs and a crew that knows the vehicle inside out. - JCB Engineering Director Ryan Ballard said the tests helped the team understand how the car behaves under load and rehearse refuels, runs and tyre changes. - Andy Green said the car felt strong and the team worked well together. - JCB has invested £100 million in hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines, which now power diggers rolling off production lines. - In 2006 at Bonneville, Andy Green drove the JCB Dieselmax car to a FIA diesel land speed record of 350.092 mph. - Green remains the fastest man on earth at 763.035 mph and the only person to break the sound barrier on land. - JCB says Hydromax is lighter and more powerful than Dieselmax. - The team will compete at SpeedWeek, run by the Southern California Timing Association, before pursuing an officially recognised FIA record. - The record bid comes ahead of the opening of JCB’s new $500 million factory in San Antonio, Texas. - JCB also set the world’s fastest tractor record in 2019 with the Fastrac at 135.191 mph and the backhoe loader record in 2014 with the GT at 72.58 mph.

Between the lines: - JCB is using the land-speed program as a high-profile showcase for hydrogen engines already moving into its core machinery business. - The Bonneville effort is as much about operational proof as top speed, since repeatable pit work and crew execution can be decisive in record attempts. - Andy Green gives JCB immediate credibility in land-speed racing because of his prior Bonneville record and long history with extreme-speed projects.

What's next: - JCB will ship Hydromax to Utah for SpeedWeek and further preparation at Bonneville in August. - The team will then pursue an FIA-recognized world hydrogen land speed record. - The company’s U.S. manufacturing expansion in San Antonio will open around the same period, adding another milestone to JCB’s hydrogen push.

The bottom line: - JCB has cleared the first major hurdle for its Bonneville run, and the company now shifts from UK testing to the salt flats with a car, crew and hydrogen system all validated at speed.