Further to its enthusiasm for hydrogen power, JCB has just completed the UK testing of its 'Hydromax' car – reaching 208mph and clearing the way for its world land speed record attempt at Bonneville Salt Flats next month.
The shakedown runs at RAF Wittering saw the 32-foot vehicle driven by Wing Commander Andy Green OBE reach 208mph – up from the 177mph recorded earlier in the programme. The testing finished yesterday.
Just as valuable as the speed, the team has gained vital data, engineering insights and the teamwork and communication that can only be built on the track. The crew also refined the Hydromax’s refuelling process.
“The UK testing programme has given us everything we had hoped for and more. We have a car that runs, a crew that knows it inside out and a wealth of real-world data that no amount of theory could ever provide. The team has done a magnificent job and our focus now turns entirely to the Salt Flats and a new world hydrogen land speed record,” explained JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford.
JCB Engineering Director Ryan Ballard, who is leading the project, said: “Reaching 208mph is a tremendous result, but the real value of these tests is what we have learned. We now understand how the car behaves under load, we have refined our hydrogen refuelling, and we have built the teamwork and communication that will be decisive at Bonneville. Every refuel, run and tyre change we have rehearsed here is one we won’t be doing for the first time on the salt. We will arrive fully prepared, with a car and a crew that know exactly what they are doing.”
“To run JCB Hydromax up to 208mph here in the UK is hugely encouraging. The car feels strong and the team has gelled brilliantly. Now comes the real challenge – Bonneville, the spiritual home of the World Land Speed Record. I can’t wait to get out on the salt,” added Andy Green.
The Hydromax is powered by two of JCB’s much vaunted hydrogen engines, producing a combined 1,600bhp. Just six weeks on, with UK testing complete, it will now be prepared for the journey to the United States.
Andy Green , meanwhile, is the only person to break the sound barrier on land – he also drove the JCB Dieselmax car to 350.092mph. That record still stands, and JCB aims to beat it with the lighter, more powerful JCB Hydromax.
The record bid comes ahead of the opening of JCB’s new $500 million factory in Texas. JCB has long pushed the limits of speed: in 2019 the JCB Fastrac became the world’s fastest tractor at 135.191 mph, and in 2014 the JCB GT set the backhoe loader record at 72.58 mph.
https://www.jcb.com/en-GB
