British driver Andy Green achieved a new world record on Tuesday, reaching 406.320 mph (653.908 kph) in a car powered by two hydrogen internal combustion engines. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the international governing body of motor sports, confirmed the record for this vehicle category.
Green, a retired Royal Air Force pilot, set the record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The 32-foot (9.75-meter) car was engineered by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB and features engines adapted from heavy machinery. These engines mix pressurized hydrogen gas with air and ignite it to generate power.
This latest achievement is separate from Green's 1997 land-speed record of 763.035 mph (1,227.985 kph) in the jet-powered Thrust SSC, a feat that broke the sound barrier. In 2006, Green also set the diesel-powered car land-speed record at 350.092 mph (563.4 kph).
While Green's Tuesday run did not approach supersonic speeds, it easily surpassed the previous hydrogen combustion world record of 185.5 mph (298.5 kph). Green stated his goal was to beat his diesel speed record using hydrogen, which he described as the “fuel of the future.”
The Bonneville Salt Flats, a remnant of a prehistoric lake bed, provide a low-friction surface and dry desert air conducive to high-speed runs. The site has hosted races since 1914.
JCB engineers hope Green's success with hydrogen power will influence the clean-energy industry. The company's chairman has advocated for hydrogen's suitability for heavy industries, suggesting it may be more capable than electric power for such applications. The source notes that hydrogen's environmental impact depends on its production method, with most current hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. JCB has committed to purchasing green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, which currently represents a small portion of global hydrogen production.