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On March 25, 2025, retired Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green shattered the world speed record for a hydrogen-powered car, reaching 406.320 mph (653.908 kph) on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The 64-year-old driver, who in 1997 became the first person to break the sound barrier in a land vehicle, this time piloted a 32-foot (9.75-meter) car built by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB. The vehicle is powered by two hydrogen internal combustion engines that together produce 1,600 horsepower, adapted from the company’s heavy machinery line.
The run was certified by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the international motor sport governing body. Green’s achievement didn’t just beat the previous hydrogen combustion record of 185.5 mph (298.5 kph) — it obliterated it by more than 220 mph. It also surpassed his own 2006 diesel-powered land speed record of 350.092 mph (563.4 kph), a target he specifically aimed to conquer with hydrogen technology.
“It’s magic to be able to showcase this technology and to showcase how good the engineering is on the best racing surface in the world, Bonneville Salt Flats,” Green told the Associated Press after the run. The car’s cockpit reached temperatures above 122°F (50°C), but Green trained for months with hot baths and gym sessions to endure the heat.
Green’s record is a dramatic demonstration of hydrogen’s potential as a clean fuel for heavy-duty applications. Unlike hydrogen fuel cells, which convert hydrogen to electricity, JCB’s engines burn gaseous hydrogen directly, similar to natural gas but with zero carbon emissions. The company’s chairman has argued that hydrogen is better suited than battery electric power for heavy industries such as construction and agriculture, where high energy density and rapid refueling are critical.
However, the clean energy world is divided on hydrogen’s role. Greg Keoleian, a professor of sustainable systems at the University of Michigan and co-director of the MI Hydrogen initiative, told the AP that the technology has been around for decades but is seeing renewed interest. “It represents an important energy carrier for decarbonizing areas of the economy,” he said, “but as far as its deployment, it’s influenced heavily by the cost.” The vast majority of hydrogen today is produced from fossil fuels, releasing carbon dioxide. JCB has signed a deal to buy green hydrogen — made from renewable energy — but that form remains a tiny fraction of global supply.
New developments may tip the balance. An emerging focus is extracting hydrogen from natural underground deposits, a process that could slash production costs and reduce reliance on electrolysis. Such “natural hydrogen” is being explored in the U.S., France, and Australia, and if commercialized, could make hydrogen combustion engines far more competitive with diesel and gasoline.
The Bonneville Salt Flats, a remnant of an ancient lake bed about 100 miles west of Salt Lake City, provide a low-friction surface that is ideal for speed records. “It looks like snow, and it behaves a bit like packed snow — it is surprisingly slippery,” Green said. The site has hosted speed trials since 1914, and Green’s hydrogen run adds a new chapter to its history.
For Green, the record is a personal milestone and a platform for a technology he calls “the fuel of the future.” His 1997 supersonic run in the jet-powered Thrust SSC remains the fastest land speed ever recorded at 763.035 mph. This time, he didn’t attempt supersonic speeds, but the message was clear: hydrogen can deliver performance on par with the world’s most demanding racing conditions.
JCB engineers now plan to use data from the record run to refine their hydrogen engines for real-world machinery. The company aims to have hydrogen-powered excavators and loaders in commercial production within years, betting that the technology can meet emissions targets without sacrificing the power and durability that heavy industries require.
The record also reignites debate about the role of hydrogen in the global energy transition. While electric vehicles dominate passenger car headlines, hydrogen advocates argue that for long-haul trucking, shipping, and off-road equipment, batteries are too heavy and slow to charge. Green’s run offers a powerful proof-of
