Andy Green sets hydrogen-powered land speed record in Utah

British pilot Andy Green set a new world land speed record for hydrogen-powered vehicles, reaching 653.908 km/h (406.320 mph) on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) validated the mark, which was achieved in the JCB Hydromax, a 9.75-meter vehicle powered by two internal combustion engines running on hydrogen, producing a combined 1,600 horsepower Source: infobae, clarin.

The run

Green, a 64-year-old retired Royal Air Force pilot, made the record attempt on a 16-kilometer (10-mile) straight. The vehicle, developed by British construction equipment maker JCB, uses engines adapted from its heavy machinery that mix pressurized hydrogen with air and ignite it Source: clarin. Green said the cockpit was "probably a little bit hotter" than his 1997 jet-powered car, with temperatures regularly exceeding 50°C (122°F) Source: clarin.

Context and significance

The new record far exceeds the previous hydrogen combustion mark of 298.5 km/h (185.5 mph) and also surpasses Green's own diesel record of 563.4 km/h (350.092 mph) set in 2006 Source: infobae, clarin. However, it remains well below the absolute land speed record of 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mph) that Green set in 1997 with the Thrust SSC, making him the only person to break the sound barrier on land Source: clarin. JCB has invested £100 million in hydrogen combustion technology, and Green emphasized the zero-carbon potential: "Se introduce hidrógeno y lo que sale por el escape es agua" Source: diariolibree.

Reaction

Green described the experience as "magical" and noted the track's slippery surface, comparing it to compacted snow Source: clarin. He also mentioned he had to lift off the throttle during both record runs because they had reached their speed limit, suggesting the car could go faster Source: diariolibree.