Andy Green, a retired Royal Air Force fighter pilot and the only person to break the sound barrier in a car, is returning to Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats to pursue another land speed record. Twenty years after setting the diesel-powered car speed record at 350.092 mph, Green will attempt to surpass that mark this week using a hydrogen-powered vehicle, aiming to demonstrate hydrogen as a viable clean-energy fuel alternative.
Green will drive the JCB Hydromax, a 32-foot bright yellow vehicle designed by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB. The car features two hydrogen internal combustion engines adapted from JCB construction machinery equipment, producing combined power of 1,600 horsepower. The engines operate by mixing pressurized hydrogen gas with air to generate combustion bursts. In preliminary testing last week, Green reached a practice speed of 368.347 mph, though the official record attempt will require validation by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the international motorsports governing body.
The attempt carries significant symbolism beyond racing achievement. JCB has invested more than $134 million in developing hydrogen-powered engines that produce no carbon dioxide emissions from tailpipes. The company’s leadership has positioned hydrogen as superior to electric power for meeting the demands of heavy industrial applications. However, environmental experts note that hydrogen’s environmental benefit depends on its production method, with the majority currently sourced from fossil fuels, though JCB has secured a supply agreement for green hydrogen produced using renewable energy.
Green’s racing history demonstrates his exceptional skill in extreme driving conditions. In 1997, he piloted a jet-powered vehicle to 763.035 mph across Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, setting the outright land speed record and generating sonic booms that reached the nearby town of Gerlach. Now 64 years old, Green retired from racing but accepted JCB’s invitation to lead the hydrogen vehicle project. His preparation has involved extensive testing and months of learning the vehicle’s handling characteristics and emergency procedures, including parachute deployment techniques necessary for the low-friction salt surface.
The Bonneville Salt Flats, located approximately 100 miles west of Salt Lake City, have served as the premier destination for land speed record attempts since 1914. The naturally occurring glassy salt surface provides ideal conditions, with an underlying aquifer that cools vehicle tires during high-speed runs. The location’s safety protocols require spectators to remain roughly a quarter-mile from the 10-mile straightaway course.
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