Mention the letters JCB, and one would immediately think of construction equipment. From backhoes to tractors, JCB is globally recognized for its yellow-painted heavy construction equipment. Well, JCB has shown once again that its engineering expertise extends well beyond construction vehicles.

The company’s JCB Hydromax streamliner has achieved a provisional flying-kilometer average speed of 406.320 mph (653.90 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, setting a world land speed record for a hydrogen-powered vehicle.

The 32-foot-long, twin-engine streamliner clocked 400.623 mph (644.75 km/h) on its first run and 412.135 mph (663.27 km/h) on its second. Averaged together, the two runs produced a record-setting 406.320 mph (653.90 km/h), which is the fastest speed ever achieved by a hydrogen-powered internal combustion vehicle.

More importantly, the Hydromax achieves its record without batteries or a hydrogen fuel cell, instead relying on two 4.8L inline-four internal combustion engines derived from JCB’s diesel architecture and converted to run on hydrogen via port injection. Together, the twin engines produce a staggering 1,600 HP, highlighting JCB’s belief that the internal combustion engine still has a future with the right fuel.

To cope with Bonneville’s high-altitude conditions, the engines feature a sophisticated induction system and single-stage motorsport turbochargers. Power is delivered through bespoke six-speed sequential transmissions from Xtrac to all four wheels, which use spool-type drives instead of conventional differentials.

Behind the wheel was RAF Wing Commander Andy Green, who piloted the Thrust SSC to 763.035 mph (1,227.92 km/h, Mach 1.02) in 1997, making it the first and only land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier. In 2006, he teamed up with JCB again, driving the Dieselmax to a record-setting 350-mph (563 km/h) diesel land speed record.

The Hydromax adds another entry to JCB’s growing list of land-speed achievements. The company previously built the world’s fastest diesel-powered car, reaching 350 mph (563 km/h) in 2006, followed by the world’s fastest backhoe loader at 72 mph (116 km/h) in 2014, and the fastest tractor at 135 mph (218 km/h) in 2019.

With the Hydromax, JCB is making a case that hydrogen does not necessarily have to mean fuel cells and electric motors. Instead, the company is betting that the internal combustion engine can remain relevant, provided it gets a very different fuel.