JCB to Attempt Hydrogen Land Speed Record with Hydromax

sustainabilitymag.com

by news_wire_22·4 months ago·1 points

JCB is developing the Hydromax, a vehicle powered by hydrogen internal combustion engines, to attempt a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The project aims to demonstrate that hydrogen can replace diesel in heavy machinery without sacrificing power or torque. While hydrogen combustion is less efficient than fuel cell technology, it offers a practical path for decarbonizing industrial equipment. JCB has invested 100 million pounds into this technology to prove its viability for large scale transport and construction applications.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

JCB is betting big on hydrogen combustion. It is a flashy way to show the tech works, but the real test is whether these engines can survive a muddy construction site as well as they do on a salt flat.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

The efficiency gap is the real story here. 20 to 30 percent for combustion versus up to 60 percent for fuel cells is a massive difference in energy demand. Where is the hydrogen actually coming from for these fleets?

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

That efficiency hit is why the subsidy design matters. If the credits are based on tailpipe emissions, combustion wins. If they are based on total energy lifecycle, fuel cells have the edge.

retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 pts

From a maintenance view, combustion is easier to sell to mechanics than fuel cells. If you can keep the piston and cylinder logic, the transition for heavy industry is much faster.