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JCB confirms new attempt at Bonneville with 1,600 hp and two adapted hydrogen internal combustion engines — the goal is to beat its own Dieselmax record from 2006.
The fastest hydrogen car in the world may have a new owner in the coming months. On May 13, 2026, the FIA announced a new record attempt.
According to an official note from the FIA, the protagonist is the British JCB Hydromax. The objective is simple: to become the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle on land.
According to JCB itself, in a statement from the same week, the vehicle is a 9.75-meter-long laboratory on wheels. It has two production hydrogen engines totaling about 1,600 hp.
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The official goal is to exceed 350 mph (563 km/h) on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Therefore, the attempt is scheduled for August 2026.
According to a report by Top Gear, internally the team is working with an even more ambitious goal. The unofficial figure is around 400 mph (643 km/h).
Why this matters for the energy sector
The Hydromax is not just a motorsport joke. In other words, it is a global showcase of hydrogen internal combustion. Therefore, it touches on a gigantic industrial battle.
On one side, fuel cells (Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo). On the other side, internal combustion engines adapted to burn H2 directly.
According to energy analysts, both routes have distinct advantages:
- Fuel cell: high efficiency (60-70%), zero NOx, but expensive components
- Hydrogen internal combustion: uses adapted engine blocks, cheaper, but emits residual NOx
- Heavy vehicles (trucks, agricultural machinery): internal combustion gains robustness
- Range and refueling: hydrogen beats battery electric in weight per distance
Therefore, JCB bets on the internal combustion route. The company, a British manufacturer of heavy machinery, has already adapted diesel engines to burn H2.
The fastest hydrogen car in technical development
According to JCB, the Hydromax is 32 feet (9.75 meters) in total length. It is a classic streamliner — elongated shape to minimize aerodynamic drag.
The two engines are derived from the company’s commercial products. Therefore, they were modified to burn hydrogen instead of diesel. The combined power reaches 1,600 bhp.
In other words, it’s energy equivalent to three Lamborghinis Aventador running at the same time. All delivered by the clean burning of the lightest gas in the universe.
The pilot chosen for the mission is Andy Green, a former commander of the British Royal Air Force. According to the Guinness World Records, he holds the absolute record since 1997.
Andy Green: the British pilot of the Hydromax
Andy Green is the only human to break the sound barrier on land. On October 15, 1997, in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, he reached 1,227 km/h.
The feat was achieved with the Thrust SSC powered by jet turbines. Therefore, his reputation in the world of land records is unmatched.
Twenty years later, in 2006, Green set another record. According to historical records, he reached 350.092 mph (563 km/h) with the JCB Dieselmax — a diesel car from the same company.
Therefore, the Hydromax has a double symbolism. It is the return of the same pilot, on the same salt stretch, with the same team, trying to beat his own diesel record — but now with hydrogen.
Bonneville Salt Flats: the coliseum of the record
According to American geographic data, Bonneville Salt Flats is located in northwest Utah. It is a dry salt plain with about 12 km usable and an almost perfectly flat surface.
Therefore, it has been the historic stage for speed records since 1914. Almost all significant marks of the 20th century were set there.
According to the schedule, the Hydromax attempt takes place during the Bonneville Speed Week 2026. In other words, the natural window for record attempts on the salt flat.
Why hydrogen combustion matters for Brazil
Brazil has a privileged position in the hydrogen race. According to data from the CNPEM, the country has a “unique” condition to produce green hydrogen by electrolysis.
Therefore, the Brazilian energy matrix is mostly renewable. There is an excess of electricity at specific times, which could be converted into H2.
In other words, the Brazilian energy transition in heavy mobility can benefit from this technology. Trucks, agricultural machinery, and buses are natural candidates.
According to analysts, the application in Brazilian agribusiness has huge potential. Heavy tractors and harvesters are precisely the niche that JCB explores globally.
What could go wrong in the fastest hydrogen car record
Despite the optimism, there are concrete risks with the Hydromax. First, the state of the salt flat. Bonneville has suffered from rain and surface degradation in recent years.
Therefore, the opportunity window in August may be unfeasible if there is erosion. The FIA needs to authorize the track after a technical inspection.
According to the Performance Racing Magazine, Utah’s Bureau of Land Management announced the official dates. The track is scheduled to host the attempt.
The legacy of the record
Similarly, there is the issue of homologation. To validate the record, Andy Green needs to cross a “measured mile” twice in opposite directions within one hour.
The average of the two runs is the official number. Therefore, if only one run reaches 350 mph but the other falls short, the record does not count.
In other words, the Hydromax needs consistency. It’s not enough to reach the peak; it needs to repeat.
Hydrogen in mobility: why it matters
According to specialized coverage on energy transition, green hydrogen is pointed out as a critical vector to decarbonize difficult sectors. Aviation, shipping, and mining are on the list.
Therefore, high-profile demonstrations like the Hydromax help normalize the technology. Still, some criticize the focus on records as a distraction from real industrial work.
Similarly, the bet on hydrogen requires production and distribution infrastructure that does not yet exist on a global scale. The logistics chain is the bottleneck.
It’s important to remember a significant caveat. The combustion of hydrogen in an internal combustion engine can generate NOx (nitrogen oxides), pollutants regulated by environmental agencies.
According to technical analyses, the level of NOx is lower than diesel but not zero. Therefore, the technology needs additional exhaust treatment to meet Euro 7 standards and equivalents.
However, in the short term, the race for the fastest hydrogen car in the world is more than a show. It’s a trial by fire for a technology that could change trucks, tractors, and heavy machinery globally.
Who will take the record at Bonneville this year: the British brand that bet on the unlikely route, or the skepticism that says hydrogen is an expensive distraction to sustain the energy transition narrative?
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