Twenty years after setting the diesel land speed record with the Dieselmax, JCB has returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats to make history again.

This time, they didn't just break a record — they absolutely shattered it.

Driving the striking JCB Hydromax, Wing Commander Andy Green OBE (the fastest man on earth) set a brand-new FIA-officiated world land speed record for a hydrogen-powered vehicle, clocking in at a blistering 406.320 mph (653.908 km/h).

The Fast Facts

To achieve this incredible milestone, the JCB team spent five years heavily investing in and developing hydrogen combustion technology. Here is a look at the numbers behind the record:

• The Speed: An average of 406.320 mph across two runs (hitting 412.135 mph on the second pass).
• The Previous Record: It smashed the previous hydrogen internal combustion benchmark of 185.5 mph set in 2004 by the BMW H2R.
• The Engines: Two JCB hydrogen internal combustion engines, producing a combined 1,600 horsepower.
• The Drivetrain: All-wheel drive through a custom twin-transmission and clutch system.

Why Does This Matter for the Jobsite?

Building a land-speed car might seem worlds away from manufacturing construction equipment, but the two are directly linked.

The two 800-horsepower engines powering the Hydromax are actually derived from JCB’s own production-based excavators. Putting an advanced engine inside a streamliner car and pushing it past 400 mph in the harsh, hot, and high-altitude environment of the Utah salt flats proves the ultimate durability of the technology.

It shows the world that zero-emission hydrogen power isn't just a concept, it is robust, incredibly powerful, and ready to work. In fact, JCB machines powered by these exact hydrogen engines are already beginning to roll off production lines.

If you are serious about reducing emissions without sacrificing raw power and reliability, hydrogen is the future. And as the Hydromax just proved, that future is moving incredibly fast.