JCB will attempt to claim another land speed record in August with a new hydrogen-powered vehicle, two decades on from its famous record run with the Dieselmax.

The new record chaser is a 32ft-long, hydrogen-fuelled vehicle named Hydromax. It's powered by an in-house-developed powertrain that combines two combustion engines for 1579bhp. 

It was created as part of a £100 million, five-year project, on which JCB worked with partners including Prodrive, the Oxfordshire-based engineering firm renowned for creating top-end motorsport machinery.

The Hydromax will take to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in August, the same location where Dieselmax claimed its diesel land speed record of 350.092mph in August 2006 – one that still stands. 

Testing will begin next month before the team heads to take part in the annual Bonneville Speedweek from 1-7 August, where competitors from around the globe gather to chase records.

Shortly afterwards, official hydrogen land speed record runs under the gaze of the FIA will take place. The aim, according to JCB chairman Lord Bamford, is to “beat” 350mph – the Dieselmax’s limit.

He explained: “Dieselmax was always a bit of an unusual idea, but it proved a point. It’s the same thinking with hydrogen today. If you’re serious about emissions, you have to be serious about hydrogen – and a land speed project is the perfect way to prove it.”

RAF wing commander Andy Green was behind the wheel of the Dieselmax (pictured below) in 2006 and will return to pilot Hydromax for its attempt.

Green holds the extraordinary title of being the fastest man on earth, having piloted the jet-powered Thrust SSC to 763.035mph in 1997. He is also the only person to have broken the sound barrier on land.

Green said: “Hydromax is lighter, more powerful and faster than its predecessor of 20 years ago. Once again, we're going to show the world just how good British engineering and technology really is. This August we're going to smash the hydrogen-powered vehicle record in the world's fastest and most exciting zero-emissions vehicle. I can't wait."

Away from land speed record attempts, JCB has a history of pushing the limits of speed with its vehicles. In 2019, the JCB Fastrac was crowned the world’s fastest tractor, hitting 135.191mph.