Andy Green, the first and only person to break the sound barrier in a car, is set to attempt another land speed record this week in Wendover, Utah. Two decades after setting the diesel-powered car land speed record at 350.092 mph (563.4 kph) on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Green will pilot a new hydrogen-powered vehicle with the goal of surpassing his previous mark.
Green, a retired Royal Air Force fighter pilot, aims to not only achieve another record but also to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen as a clean-energy alternative. He described hydrogen as the "fuel of the future" in a July interview with The Associated Press.
The car Green will be driving is the 32-foot JCB Hydromax, developed by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB. It is powered by two hydrogen internal combustion engines, adapted from the company's construction machinery, which produce a combined 1,600 horsepower. These engines work by igniting a mixture of pressurized hydrogen gas and air.
Beyond challenging his own diesel record, Green also aims to exceed the existing world land speed records for hydrogen internal combustion engines (185.5 mph/298.5 kph) and electric vehicles (341.3 mph/549.2 kph).
During practice runs last week, Green achieved a top speed of 368.347 mph (592.797 kph). However, to officially claim the hydrogen record, the run must be verified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the international governing body for motor sports.
This latest endeavor will not approach the supersonic speeds Green reached with jet power 30 years ago. In 1997, he set the outright land speed record of 763.035 mph (1,227.98 kph) in a car powered by twin jet engines, a feat that produced sonic booms felt miles away in Nevada's Black Rock Desert.
Now 64, Green came out of retirement for this project after being approached by JCB, which has invested significantly in hydrogen-powered engines. The company asserts that these engines produce no carbon dioxide emissions from their tailpipes. JCB Chair Anthony Bamford has stated that hydrogen is crucial for addressing emissions and is better suited for heavy industries than electric power.
Concerns remain regarding the source of hydrogen, as most is currently derived from fossil fuels. JCB has committed to using "green hydrogen," produced from renewable energy, though it constitutes a small portion of global production. Hydrogen combustion engines also present safety challenges due to the gas's flammability and high pressure.
Green indicated that risks are being carefully managed, with the car having undergone rigorous testing. He spent months familiarizing himself with its responsiveness, engine coordination, and parachute deployment on the low-friction salt surface.
The Bonneville Salt Flats, a remnant of a prehistoric lake bed, has been a venue for land speed record attempts since 1914. The 10-mile-long straightaway offers a glassy surface conducive to speed, with an aquifer beneath helping to cool vehicle tires.
Spectators typically view the attempts from a quarter-mile away. The salt flats have also served as a filming location and a backdrop for television series.
Green's attempt follows a fatal accident at Bonneville's Speed Week last year, where a driver died after losing control of his vehicle while attempting a land speed record at 283 mph (455 kph).