Poppe + Potthoff (P+P) has supplied components for JCB’s Hydromax hydrogen-powered vehicle, which has established a new world land-speed record for hydrogen-powered vehicles at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA.
The vehicle achieved an officially measured average speed of 406.320mph (653.909km/h), surpassing the previous record. Its powertrain uses two hydrogen internal combustion engines delivering a combined 1,600hp.
P+P’s modular TOPAQ hydrogen supply system formed part of the Hydromax drivetrain. The company worked with JCB throughout vehicle development, from initial testing through to final component integration.
The integrated TOPAQ system includes a High Pressure Regulation Unit (HPRU), Parallel Charging Units in the form of distribution rails, lines and adapters. These components provide what P+P describes as an efficient, demand-oriented hydrogen supply to the internal combustion engines.
The system was designed to reduce overall drivetrain complexity while maintaining stability and safety. Extensive development and validation testing was used to verify system performance before its deployment in the record attempt.
“JCB Hydromax demonstrates the capabilities of hydrogen-based propulsion technology in a truly unique way,” said Markus Kerkhoff, CEO of P+P. “We are proud that our TOPAQ system components contributed to this extraordinary achievement. This record proves that hydrogen-powered drivetrains can deliver both reliability and outstanding performance, even under extreme operating conditions.”
The record provides a high-profile demonstration of hydrogen internal combustion technology operating under demanding conditions. Unlike fuel-cell electric systems, hydrogen internal combustion engines retain the fundamental architecture of combustion powertrains while replacing conventional fuel with hydrogen.
The Hydromax also continues a record-setting connection between JCB and the Bonneville Salt Flats. In 2006, the company’s Dieselmax established the still-standing diesel land-speed world record at the same location.
Almost two decades later, Hydromax has used hydrogen propulsion to set a new benchmark for hydrogen-powered vehicles. For P+P, the project demonstrates the role that engineered hydrogen supply components can play in high-performance applications where pressure regulation, distribution and system integration are critical to powertrain operation.
The achievement highlights the potential of hydrogen internal combustion engines for applications requiring high power and performance, while demonstrating the importance of robust fuel-system architecture in extreme operating environments.
