Supersonic land speed icon Andy Green has pushed automotive boundaries once again establishing a staggering new world hydrogen land speed record at Utah’s iconic Bonneville Salt Flats.
Driving the 32-foot streamliner “JCB Hydromax,” the 64-year-old former RAF fighter pilot reached an official average speed of 406.320 mph (653.908 km/h).
This historic feat more than doubles the previous hydrogen record of 185.5 mph set by BMW in 2004.
Unconventional power under the hood
What makes the triumph extraordinary is the powertrain beneath the sleek bodywork. Instead of a specialized racing engine or electric fuel cell, the Hydromax is driven by two modified hydrogen-combustion engines originally engineered for JCB construction excavators.
Twin-turbocharged to produce a massive combined 1,600 horsepower, the heavy-duty digger powerplants pushed the streamliner to a peak speed of 412 mph on its fastest pass across the salt.
A triple crown for Green and JCB
This accomplishment marks Green’s third major land speed milestone. Famous for becoming the first and only person to break the sound barrier in a car – reaching 763 mph in ThrustSSC in 1997 – Green also set the diesel record at 350 mph with JCB back in 2006.
Returning two decades later with clean-burning hydrogen, Green praised the British engineering behind the vehicle, noting that achieving over 406 mph on a zero-emission fuel proves hydrogen’s tremendous potential for the future of high-performance mobility.
