DAREDEVIL Andy Green is the fastest man on Earth. x3.
He’s just set a 406mph hydrogen record that slots neatly between his diesel and outright land speed records. Remarkable.
Andy Green with the 1,600hp JCB – it’s not the digger Credit: Supplied
The 406mph JCB is powered by two hydrogen digger engines — and emits only water Credit: Supplied
In our world, 400mph is TWO FOOTBALL PITCHES every second, a mile in less than nine. Makes Lewis and Lando look a bit s-l-o-w, right?
To top it all, Andy’s 1,600hp JCB — powered by two hydrogen digger engines — emits only WATER.
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So it’s a green racing car driven by Mr Green.
Andy told The Jattvibe: “This one is special. Zero-carbon racing with hydrogen technology that has a real-world application is really exciting.
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The JCB’s average speed over two runs was 406.320mph, notching up a new hydrogen world land speed record Credit: Supplied
The JCB hits 406mph Credit: Supplied
“People say we don’t make anything any more, we don’t invent anything, we’ve got no expertise. We’ve absolutely got expertise.
“The people I’m working with here are the best in the world at what they do.
“If you want to understand how to run hydrogen internal combustion for a commercial market, speak to JCB.
“Nobody in the world does it at the level they’re doing right now.
Andy is the only person to break the sound barrier on land, 763mph in a ThrustSSC jet car in 1997 Credit: Supplied
“If you want to understand how to tune engines, speak to Ricardo. There’s a reason why they build McLaren road-car engines. They developed a 74hp digger engine to deliver up to 800hp.
“For gearboxes, there’s Xtrac, and if you want a prototype race car that’s better than anybody else’s, speak to Prodrive. The standard of engineering and quality is exceptional.
“JCB Hydromax promotes all of that internationally but also reminds ourselves that we are still world-class and we’ve got a whole bunch of engineering and technology that we should be proud of.”
Well said.
JCB Hydromax engineer Nina refills the vehicle’s ice tank Credit: Supplied
The JCB’s F1-style steering wheel Credit: Supplied
You might have seen on socials that JCB Hydromax clocked 368mph at Bonneville SpeedWeek last week.
That was just a warm-up.
The official FIA record attempt required two runs within 60 minutes.
Andy averaged 400.623mph over the “flying mile” on his first run.
The uniquely shaped JCB Hydromax is as long as a double-decker bus
After a quick pit stop for fuel, ice, fresh tyres and parachutes, he hit 419mph coming back the other way, at an average of 412.135mph.
Bosh.
Average speed over two runs: 406.320mph, to notch a NEW HYDROGEN WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD.
Andy deserves a place in the history books right alongside Neil Armstrong and Sir Edmund Hillary in my eyes.
He’s the only person to break the sound barrier on land, 763mph in a ThrustSSC jet car in 1997.
His 350mph diesel record is still unbeaten 20 years on.
Now he’s got the “triple crown” with JCB Hydromax.
Andy, 64, said: “I was lucky enough to meet Neil Armstrong a couple of times and he said something that I recognised immediately because it’s exactly the way I feel about it — ‘I’m awfully proud to have been part of a remarkable team’.
“The engineers are so good at what they do, so passionate and dedicated to make this the best car it can possibly be and, more importantly, the safest car it can possibly be. They kept me on my game.
“We used only 700hp (per engine). We didn’t wind the engines up. If we had a longer track, this car would go faster. This is probably the best straight-line racing car ever created, just an extraordinary piece of technology.”
As one might expect, the day ended with a “debrief” at the local boozer where all of Bonneville’s speed kings are immortalised on the walls.
Wing Commander Andy Green included.
‘SOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE’
HYDROMAX is about proving hydrogen technology in a way a digger never could. JCB chairman Lord Bamford, 80, left with Rob, said: “This achievement is much bigger than simply going fast. It is about demonstrating in the most dramatic way the potential of hydrogen combustion.
“We hear constantly about global warming and the need to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels and their emissions. There is no question the world needs solutions and I believe very strongly the internal-combustion engine powered by hydrogen can be one for the future – particularly for the heavy-duty machinery that builds our roads, our homes, our cities and infrastructure.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in this extraordinary triumph of cutting-edge, advanced engineering.”
