JCB digs up a green future with hydrogen engines Chairman Lord Bamford believes hydrogen is at risk of being overlooked in the rush to go electric for cars 16 May 2021 • 6:00pm JCB has been producing new hydrogen powered diggers as it looks to phase out diesel vehicles Credit: PAUL COOPER It’s pouring with rain at the JCB testing quarry on a Tuesday afternoon in Staffordshire, but the JCB 3CX backhoe loader is just getting fired up. The driver spins his cabin around a few times as if doing a twirl, then edges out towards the centre of the quarry and extends a claw. It may look much like the thousands of other JCB diggers found on building sites around the world, but this one is different.