JCB Hydromax Sets New Hydrogen-Powered Car Land Speed Record

New Land Speed Record Achieved

The JCB Hydromax recently established a new land speed record for hydrogen-powered cars. The record was set on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, utilizing a vehicle equipped with two hydrogen-burning engines.

JCB's Hydrogen Engine Development

JCB, a UK-based manufacturer of heavy industrial and agricultural equipment, developed the hydrogen combustion engines. The company began developing its own hydrogen combustion engine in 2020, following an assessment that fuel cell technology was too costly and fragile for its target applications in farming and construction.

JCB's motivation for developing hydrogen alternatives stems from carbon emissions targets in the UK, which necessitate alternatives to traditional diesel engines for its product lines.

Engine Design and Operation

JCB's hydrogen engine design draws on its experience with diesel engines, sharing much of the architectural framework. Hydrogen is injected into the cylinders at lower pressure and temperature than in a diesel engine, with ignition initiated by a spark. Similar to JCB's diesel engines and Toyota's experimental hydrogen race car, the engine is turbocharged and operates at low revolutions per minute.

Historical Context of Hydrogen Combustion

The concept of burning hydrogen in an internal combustion engine has been explored previously. In 2006, BMW modified a V12 engine to run on hydrogen, though it resulted in reduced power and increased fuel consumption compared to gasoline. More recently, Toyota has experimented with a turbocharged three-cylinder hydrogen-burning engine in endurance races, with forced induction helping to compensate for hydrogen's lower energy density.