A Sussex-based engineering firm says it wants to show off hydrogen power as part of efforts to break a land speed record – with a digger engine.
Ricardo, from Shoreham, West Sussex, has turned a 74 horsepower (hp) JCB hydrogen engine which powers construction vehicles into an 800hp engine capable of a record attempt.
Two of the engines, one to power the front wheels and one for the back wheels, will be put into the JCB Hydromax car being built by Banbury-based firm Prodrive to attempt the land speed record in August.
Ben Hassett, assistant principal engineer at Ricardo, said: “It’s a really good way to demonstrate hydrogen as a reliable, realistic and exciting clean alternative to diesel.”
