Hydrogen Power Boosts Land Speed Record

Andy Green, the first person to break the sound barrier in a car, has set a new world record using hydrogen power. Green reached 406.320 mph (653.908 kph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. His vehicle, equipped with two hydrogen internal combustion engines, achieved a combined power of 1,600 horsepower. This has been confirmed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the global authority for motor sports.

The 64-year-old Royal Air Force veteran drove a 32-foot (9.75-meter) car crafted by JCB, a British construction equipment firm. JCB adapted its heavy machinery engines to mix hydrogen gas and air, producing powerful bursts of energy. “It’s incredible to demonstrate this technology on the finest racing surface globally,” Green commented after the event.

Though remarkable, Green’s recent achievement didn’t surpass his overall land-speed record of 763.035 mph (1,227.985 kph) set in 1997 using jet power. His history-making run in the Thrust SSC generated sonic booms in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. In 2006, Green set another record at the Salt Flats, reaching 350.092 mph (563.4 kph) in a diesel-powered vehicle. Recently, he aimed to break this benchmark using hydrogen, a resource he sees as the “fuel of the future.”

Green’s hydrogen engine feat exceeded the former record for such engines, which was 185.5 mph (298.5 kph). Using a 10-mile (16-kilometer) straightway, he built up speed in the towering car. JCB staff and reporters observed these runs through cameras and binoculars. “Inside this car, temperatures surpass 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius),” Green revealed, “but months of training and acclimation with heated conditions prepared me.”

The Bonneville Salt Flats, a prehistoric lake bed 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Salt Lake City, offered an ideal setting. Its low-friction terrain and dry air attract racers, having hosted events since 1914. “It may look like snow, and its slippery nature is surprising,” Green noted.

Though he didn’t reach supersonic speeds, Green’s hydrogen-powered performance might impact the clean-energy industry. JCB’s chairman argues that hydrogen could cater better to heavy industries compared to electric power. However, hydrogen’s environmental benefits depend on its source. Green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, remains rare.

Hydrogen technology, around for decades, is resurging, says Greg Keoleian of the University of Michigan. Automotive firms have developed hydrogen engines but face high production costs versus gas and diesel. “Hydrogen is vital for decarbonizing the economy,” Keoleian stated, “yet its high cost limits broad adoption.” Efforts are underway to reduce costs by extracting hydrogen naturally, which may impact its affordability.