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Commander Andy Green has driven the hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax streamliner to a record 592.797km/h on the Bonneville salt flats in the US, setting a new record in the Blown Gas Streamliner class.The record came as the engineering firm gears up for an official FIA world record attempt next week.JCB Hydramax pilot Commander Andy Green is looking forward to another record attempt soon. (JCB) The run was completed as part of the Southern California Timing Association’s (SCTA) renowned Bonneville Speed Week, where teams are required to make two runs on consecutive days and the average of the maximum speeds reached is taken.On Thursday the 9.75m long, twin-engined JCB Hydromax recorded a speed of 590.8km/h and on Friday reached a maximum speed of 594.7km/h, giving an average speed of 592.7km/h, a new SCTA record. The previous SCTA record was 560km/h set by the Spectre Streamliner in 2010, breaking a record that stood for 16 years.The JCB Hydromax is powered by two of JCB’s own production-based hydrogen internal combustion engines that output a total 1,193kW.“To reach 368.347mph is a fantastic achievement for the whole JCB Hydromax team. It shows just what JCB’s hydrogen engines are capable of ahead of our outright FIA world record attempt,” said JCB chairman Lord Bamford.Green, the only person to break the sound barrier on land, said: “It has been an absolute joy to be back on the salt, racing at Speed Week alongside some incredible teams. This record has given all of us huge confidence in the car. We’re now turning up the power on the engines, aiming to go even faster next week.”JCB has a history of pushing the limits of speed. In 2006 JCB’s Dieselmax streamliner, powered by two JCB diesel engines, clinched the world diesel land speed record, reaching 563.4km/h on the Bonneville Salt Flats.In 2019, the JCB Fastrac tractor was crowned the world’s fastest tractor, at 217.5km/h.Business Day
