JCB targets new land speed record with hydrogen car

JCB has announced an attempt to set a new world land speed record with a car powered by hydrogen, 20 years after breaking the diesel land speed record.

The Staffordshire-based manufacturer and digger maker unveiled the plans for the JCB Hydroxmax at its headquarters in Rocester on Tuesday.

The company's Dieselmax, driven by RAF Wing Cdr Andy Green OBE, broke the diesel engine land speed record in 2006, with a speed of 350.092 mph.

Lord Bamford, JCB Chairman, said: "Nobody has actually taken our world record for diesel and we wondered whether we might be able to do the same and take our own record, with a hydrogen engine."

"Starting with our diesel engine, we have developed engines which run on hydrogen. They are hydrogen engines."

The new Hydromax car, also set to be driven by now-retired Green, is powered by two four-cylinder engines, totalling 800hp.

A company spokesperson said in an attempt to become the "fastest hydrogen-powered car", the vehicle's hydrogen internal combustion engines would drive all four wheels through a twin-transmission and clutch system.

Lord Bamford told the BBC the company had it sights set on beating its diesel land speed record.

"[In] 2006, we built our first streamliner. And we ended up with the world land speed record for diesel cars, which still stands at 350.01 mph," he explained.

"20 years later, we have been heavily involved in developing hydrogen engines. Why hydrogen? Mainly because of emissions.

"There's an enormous push in the world to try and reduce emissions which of course [can] cause all sorts of problems in the bigger world."

He said the Hydroxmax was a "beautifully designed car" with "quite a lot of pushing power", and that the engines were slanted and not vertical, as reducing the car's height would help speed and acceleration,

"The engines run on hydrogen extremely well," he said. "Ultimately, it can replace other forms of fuel."

Speaking about whether it was possible to beat the diesel record with hydrogen, he added: "I would be very happy if we could be 5% more than our previous record.

"If we get it, it will be an accolade for engineering and for our company."

Green said the JCB Hydromax was "better" than the Dieselmax and he would be "amazed" if it didn't break the record.

"The JCB Diesel car 20 years ago was the most extraordinary straight-line racing vehicle I have ever seen, that's the reason it's still, by a long way, the fastest diesel car in history," he said.

"The [hydrogen] car is lighter than the previous one, it is more aerodynamic than the previous car, it has more power than the previous car. In every key area, it is expected to out-perform," he explained.

"So are we going to make 350mph? Absolutely, I'll be amazed if we don't."

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