Hydrogen-powered car reaches 653 km/h and sets a record

Renowned British racer Andy Green set a new world record by reaching a speed of 653,9 km/h in a car powered by a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. The record was set on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US state of Utah.

The new result was more than twice the previous record of 298,5 km/h. The 9,75-meter-long car was developed by JCB, and its two hydrogen engines produce a combined 1600 horsepower.

The project was reportedly aimed not only at achieving high speeds, but also at demonstrating the capabilities of engines that use hydrogen fuel. In this respect, the new record was also an important test for technologies based on environmentally friendly fuels.

At 64, Andy Green is considered an experienced speed-record athlete. In 1997, he broke the sound barrier by reaching 1228 km/h in the Thrust SSC jet-powered car. This absolute land-speed record has yet to be broken.