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British racing driver Andy Green has once again etched his name into the land-speed record books—this time showcasing the raw potential of hydrogen power. On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, the 64-year-old former Royal Air Force pilot piloted a specially engineered car to 406.320 mph across the crystalline crust of Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, setting a new world record for a vehicle powered by twin hydrogen internal combustion engines.
The record was officially certified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), motorsport’s international governing body. Green’s car was built by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB, which has been aggressively developing hydrogen combustion technology as a zero-carbon alternative to diesel in heavy machinery. The speed run was part of JCB’s broader push to prove hydrogen’s viability beyond industrial applications.
Green, who retired from the Royal Air Force as a wing commander, is no stranger to extremes. In 1997, he became the first person to break the sound barrier on land, reaching 763 mph in the Thrust SSC—a record that still stands today. While Tuesday’s run was far slower than that supersonic feat, it was no less significant for the hydrogen sector.
“This is about showing that hydrogen combustion can deliver real, high-performance power,” Green said in a statement after the run. “The car ran flawlessly, and the JCB team’s engineering is world-class.”
The vehicle, known as the JCB Hydrogen Speed Car, is powered by two modified versions of the company’s 3.0-liter hydrogen internal combustion engines, each producing around 1,000 horsepower. Unlike fuel cells, which convert hydrogen into electricity, these engines burn hydrogen directly, producing only water vapor as a byproduct. The design retains much of the familiar piston-engine architecture, potentially easing the transition for manufacturers and enthusiasts.
The record attempt was years in the making. JCB began developing hydrogen combustion engines in 2020, aiming to decarbonize its own fleet of off-road vehicles. The speed project was a high-profile test bed for the technology. “We wanted to prove that hydrogen isn’t just a laboratory curiosity,” said JCB Chairman Lord Bamford. “Andy’s run shows it can be pushed to the limit.”
The Bonneville Salt Flats, a vast dry lake bed in northwestern Utah, has been a historic venue for land-speed records since the 1930s. The surface conditions were near-perfect for Tuesday’s run, with a smooth, hard salt crust that allowed the car to maintain stability at extreme speeds. Green’s previous record of 763 mph was also set at Bonneville, but in a jet-powered vehicle.
Industry experts have praised the achievement as a milestone for hydrogen internal combustion, a technology that remains niche compared to battery-electric and fuel-cell systems. “Hydrogen combustion engines offer a drop-in solution for applications where batteries are impractical—like heavy trucks, construction equipment, and motorsport,” said Dr. Elena Voss, a clean energy researcher at Stanford University. “Green’s record provides real-world evidence that the power density is there.”
The record also comes at a time when hydrogen infrastructure is expanding in the United States, with the Department of Energy supporting regional hydrogen hubs. However, critics note that hydrogen production still relies heavily on natural gas, and the carbon footprint of the fuel depends on the source. Green and JCB emphasized that the car used “green hydrogen” produced via electrolysis with renewable energy, though they did not provide specific sourcing details.
Looking ahead, JCB has no immediate plans to develop a consumer hydrogen car, but the company is exploring licensing the engine technology to motorsport teams and heavy equipment manufacturers. Green himself hasn’t ruled out another record attempt. “There’s always more speed to find,” he said.
The 406.320 mph record is the latest in a series of hydrogen-powered speed achievements. In 2023, a hydrogen fuel-cell car from Hyundai reached 106 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and in 2024, a hydrogen combustion prototype from Toyota hit 230 mph. Green’s run more than doubles those figures, setting a new benchmark for the category.
As the world watches the transition to clean energy, records like this serve as both a proof of concept and a spectacle. For Andy Green, it’s another chapter in a career defined by pushing boundaries—first with jet power, now with hydrogen.
