JCB’s Hydrogen ICE Engine, Approved for Sale Across Europe in Late 2025, Has Benefits Over Diesel and Battery-Electric: It Could Enable Decarbonized Construction and Agriculture: Is It Commercially Viable as They Say?

   

      JCB, a UK-based company that manufactures construction equipment, gained approval for its hydrogen combustion engine for sale and use across Europe in late 2025. According to Engineerine:

“JCB’s hydrogen combustion engine has received certification from 11 European licensing authorities, including those in major economies like Germany, France, and the UK. This approval means the technology meets stringent safety and performance standards, allowing it to be commercially deployed across the continent. The significance of this certification cannot be understated, as it opens doors for widespread adoption in construction and agricultural applications.

     JCB was known for its diesel ICE engines and now offers comparable hydrogen ICE engines. The company hired 150 engineers, invested over £100 million, and spent three years innovating.

“The investment wasn’t limited to engine design—JCB also developed new high-pressure storage tanks, fuel delivery systems, and safety protocols to make hydrogen-powered machinery both practical and durable for global use. The company even partnered with hydrogen suppliers to establish prototype fueling stations, proving the technology can integrate seamlessly into real-world logistics chains.”

     For construction vehicles, hydrogen ICE engines have advantages over hydrogen fuel cells since they can utilize existing infrastructure.

“Fuel-cell systems, while efficient, often require ultra-pure hydrogen and complex cooling systems. In contrast, JCB’s combustion-based design can operate under rugged site conditions, tolerate impurities better, and produce consistent torque—qualities critical for excavators, loaders, and tractors.”

     Testing is ongoing for these hydrogen ICE engines in backhoe loaders, telescopic handlers, and generator sets. By November 2025, over 130 prototype JCB engines were being tested.

“According to JCB engineers, these test machines have successfully logged thousands of operating hours, demonstrating cold-start reliability, power parity with diesel, and stable combustion even under high load conditions. The results suggest hydrogen combustion could become a long-term, scalable alternative—not just a temporary experiment.”

     JCB is also working on hybrid systems that pair hydrogen combustion with small electric drives, combining instant refueling with regenerative braking efficiency.

     JCB’s hydrogen ICE engines are now installed in backhoes, in a 7.5-tonne Mercedes truck, and in delivery vans. Below are some of the company’s generator sets.

     JCB plans an attempt to break the land speed record in August with a hydrogen ICE. Former Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot, Andy Green, who holds the current land speed world record of 763.035 mph (1,227.985 kph), is chasing a somewhat slower hydrogen first in what he calls the "coolest zero-carbon racecar ever created."

“When fully unleashed in August in Bonneville, Utah, the 32-foot (9.7-metre) long JCB Hydromax will try to beat the diesel record of 350.092 mph set 20 years ago on the same salt flats by the British engineering giant's JCB Dieselmax predecessor, also driven by Green.”

     The runway at Bonneville extends between nine and 10 miles, a distance that has shrunk from 11 miles in 2006 due to salt mining and environmental conditions.

     JCB plans to open a new $500 million factory in San Antonio, Texas, that will employ 1,500 people to make these machines for the U.S. market.

     Some of the advantages of hydrogen ICE over fuel cells, battery-electric, and diesel ICE are given below.

     Is it commercially viable? Well, that depends on what one wants to accomplish, I am guessing. I did not find any information on the hydrogen IC engine cost vs. a comparable diesel IC engine, only that they are cheaper than fuel cells. These engines are a specialty novelty engine, and their production has yet to scale up, so current prices are likely quite high. In terms of fuel costs, hydrogen loses since on a per-mile basis, hydrogen costs 2-4 times what diesel costs. If one wants fully decarbonized green hydrogen, the costs are closer to 4 times diesel. Thus, I would argue that hydrogen is not really commercially viable compared to diesel and will likely remain a niche technology adopted for its low-carbon benefits.

 

References:

 

JCB’s Hydrogen Engine: Pioneering the Future of Sustainable Construction. Max Carter. Engineerine. Last Updated on November 6, 2025. JCB’s Hydrogen Engine: Pioneering the Future of Sustainable Construction – Engineerine

Hydrogen. Welcome to the New Normal. JCB. (website). Hydrogen power is here | JCB

JCB chase hydrogen land speed record with digger engines and world's fastest man. Alan Baldwin. Reuters. June 19, 2026. JCB chase hydrogen land speed record with digger engines and world's fastest man

Will Hydrogen Engines Replace Diesel? An Analysis of JCB, Deutz & Cummins Technologies. By Daniel. Serwis Kop. October 10, 2025. Will Hydrogen Engines Replace Diesel? An Analysis of JCB, Deutz & Cummins Tech