Sussex Engineers Transform Digger Engine Into 800HP Hydrogen Record-Breaker

(c) JCB

A Sussex engineering firm is helping to push the boundaries of clean technology by transforming a humble digger engine into a potential land speed record-breaker.

Ricardo plc, based in Shoreham, has taken a 74 horsepower hydrogen engine originally designed to power construction vehicles and turned it into an astonishing 800 horsepower machine.

The upgraded engine will be at the heart of the JCB Hydromax car, which is being built by Banbury-based motorsport and engineering specialists Prodrive, as it prepares to attempt a hydrogen-powered land speed record in August.

The vehicle will use two of the specially developed engines — one powering the front wheels and one driving the rear — as the team aims to reach speeds of up to 350mph (563km/h) at Utah’s famous Bonneville Salt Flats.

Ben Hassett, assistant principal engineer at Ricardo, said the project is about proving hydrogen can be a serious alternative to traditional fuels.

He said:

“It’s a really good way to demonstrate hydrogen as a reliable, realistic and exciting clean alternative to diesel.”

Mr Hassett added that while hydrogen technology is not yet ready for everyday consumer vehicles, it has significant potential for heavy-duty applications.

He said:

“Hydrogen power isn't ready for the consumer market just yet, but it has a real application on heavy duty machines.

“It may well filter down to consumers, but one way to drum up interest is to break a land speed record.”

The team hopes the car will beat the current diesel land speed record of 350.092mph (563.418km/h), which is already held by JCB after its record-breaking run in 2006.

Testing has already taken place at RAF Wittering, where the hydrogen-powered car reached speeds of 208mph (334.744km/h).

The official record attempt will be measured over a one-mile stretch, although the car could have up to nine miles of track available to build up maximum speed.

Behind the wheel will be British racing driver and former Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green, who currently holds the outright world land speed record after driving the jet-powered ThrustSSC to 763.035mph (1,227.985km/h) in 1997.

The project aims to showcase hydrogen as a future fuel source — proving that even a construction engine could have the power to rewrite the record books.