A behind-the-scenes look at the testing of the JCB Hydromax hydrogen-combustion land-speed record challenger. We catch up with JCB’s advanced projects development manager, Tom Beamish, and senior engineer Cameron Scott during testing at RAF Wittering in the UK.
The Hydromax is powered by two hydrogen-combustion engines — the same units found in JCB’s production machines, now tuned from 74hp apiece to over 800hp in race specification. Modifications include double overhead cam, pent roof combustion chambers and direct hydrogen injection, drawing on lessons from both JCB’s Dieselmax record car and its current hydrogen equipment.
The Dieselmax set a diesel land-speed record of 350mph back in 2006. Now JCB has its sights set on a new benchmark at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah — and on demonstrating that the internal combustion engine has a zero-emissions future in construction and agricultural equipment.
The Wittering shakedown is all about data collection and systems validation ahead of that record attempt, correlating real-world results with the engineering model before the car is pushed to its limits.
