A pair of hydrogen-powered engines developed for construction machinery has just been pushed into territory normally reserved for purpose-built speed machines. JCB’s Hydromax has reached an astonishing 406.320 mph (653.6 km/h) at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, becoming the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle of any kind and setting a new world land speed record for a hydrogen internal-combustion car.

The 32-foot-long streamliner is powered by two production-based JCB hydrogen combustion engines, each tuned to produce 800 horsepower for a combined 1,600 bhp. Rather than using hydrogen in a fuel cell to generate electricity, Hydromax burns hydrogen directly in its internal-combustion engines. The engines are manufactured at JCB’s factory in Foston, Derbyshire, and are based on the same production engines powering JCB machines in the UK.

Designer: JCB

Its record-setting run was completed under FIA rules, requiring two passes in opposite directions within an hour. Driven by Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, Hydromax recorded 400.623 mph on its first run and 412.135 mph on the return, producing the official average of 406.320 mph. The result comfortably surpassed the previous FIA-officiated hydrogen internal-combustion record of 185.5 mph, set by the BMW H2R in 2004. It also moved beyond the 303 mph hydrogen fuel-cell record, making Hydromax the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle in history. The record remains subject to formal FIA ratification.

According to project lead, JCB Engineering Director Ryan Ballard, “This record belongs to the engineering team which took a hydrogen digger engine and made it the fastest of its kind on earth. This has been an amazing challenge from the outset, with it being set in February last year. We came here fully prepared, and the car delivered.”

The achievement follows an earlier milestone at the 2026 Bonneville Speed Week, where Hydromax averaged 368.347 mph over two runs to establish an SCTA record in the Blown Gas Streamliner class. Its first run reached 367.141 mph, followed by 369.554 mph on the return. That result surpassed the previous 348.342 mph class benchmark, while giving JCB an important test of the car before its FIA attempt.

Much of the car’s engineering focuses on making extreme speed controllable. Hydromax drives all four wheels through twin transmissions and clutches, while its body was shaped around aerodynamic efficiency and stability. JCB says the suspension, traction control, aerodynamics and camera placement were all stress- and simulation-tested before the attempt. Prodrive handled the car build, Ricardo worked on engine tuning and Xtrac supplied the transmission expertise.

The record also carries a strong sense of continuity for JCB. Exactly 20 years after Andy Green drove the JCB Dieselmax to a 350.092 mph diesel land speed record at Bonneville, he has returned to the same salt flats to establish an even faster mark using hydrogen. The Hydromax project was conceived in 2025 as a demonstration of JCB’s hydrogen combustion technology, turning engines developed for working machines into a record-breaking powertrain.

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Without a doubt, the Casio F-91W is a legendary timepiece that is still available to buy for $20. While the digital watch has retained its nostalgic charm all these years, it is indeed a little left behind when it comes to smart functionality. Casio is set to change that now with the F-B100W timepiece, which adapts the modern functions expected in a smart timekeeper. The classic 1980s digital watch in the rectangular silhouette, upgraded with the goodness of step counting – I’ll take that any day!

On the outside, this Casio timepiece looks like the trusted F-91W, but inside it has more to offer, making it a sweet deal. For now, the watch is available in Japan for ¥8,800 (around $55), and it’s not surprising it has already been sold out, at least for now. That’s almost double the price tag of the original, which is still up for $22, but you’ll also have to factor in the generational leap in smart features this new model touts.

Designer: Casio

Most of the F-B100W’s functions are fairly straightforward, and the specifications are also very close to the original, measuring 41.9 × 38.1 × 8.8 mm and weighing 26 grams. The timepiece retains features including an amber LED backlight with adjustable glow, water resistance, an hourly time signal, and five daily alarm options. For improved comfort during long hours, the bio-based plastic strap now has improved ventilation slits. Major changes come in the form of a watch battery (as opposed to a rechargeable cell), which lasts for almost two years.

What’s making this Casio timepiece a big buzz already is the inclusion of Bluetooth, which automatically syncs time or toggles the alarms or dual time display. In the mix is the phone finder feature, which can be a really useful addition without all the unwanted nuances. What I’m most excited about is the addition of the step counter and lap split time function, which can be directly synced to your phone with the companion app. You can set goals, record up to 200 laps, and monitor the progress on the watch screen as well. For times when you get too engrossed in work, the F-B100W also sends an inactivity alert via a beep and on-screen prompt. Of course, that is an optional feature that can be turned off as well.

It doesn’t have any other smartwatch features like a heart rate monitor, sleep diagnosis, or even BP monitoring, but that’s the point. The retro-modern Casio watch has all the timekeeping functions, and the most essential smart features without making the wearer too finicky about the vitals. F-B100W comes in three color variants: 1AJF, 1BJF, and 3AJF, which have a black case with a positive LCD and retro blue, red, and yellow dial accents, and all black with a negative display and gray text, respectively.

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