Why the Yangwang U9 Xtreme’s 500 km/h Dubai run is back in the spotlight

Reports of a November attempt to push BYD’s 2,220 kW Yangwang U9 Xtreme beyond 500 km/h in Dubai have resurfaced. The plan dates back to July, when BYD executive vice president Stella Li named Dubai in an Abu Dhabi interview and said the team needed a street with 15 kilometres. No public announcement has confirmed a selected road, the necessary permissions, or a proposed attempt date. On July 6, Li discussed the U9 Xtreme’s previous speed run in an interview with Business SNA in Abu Dhabi, stating the car had reached 496.22 km/h in Germany and that BYD planned to pursue a 500 km/h record in Dubai in November. A separate conversation with BYD brand general manager Li Yunfei at the Goodwood Festival of Speed anticipated another attempt at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP). The U9 Xtreme reached 496.22 km/h, equal to 308.33 mph, at ATP on September 14, 2025, driven by racing driver Marc Basseng. Its four electric motors generate 2,220 kW, equivalent to about 2,977 HP. For comparison, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ reached 490.48 km/h, or 304.77 mph, in a single-direction run in 2019, while the Koenigsegg Agera RS recorded a two-way average of 447.19 km/h, or 277.87 mph, in 2017. The U9 Xtreme needs another 3.78 km/h to hit 500 km/h. At 496.22 km/h, it covers about 138 metres per second, making distance for acceleration and braking critical. Surface conditions, wind, tyre performance, aerodynamic stability, and braking distance also matter, and a public-road attempt requires traffic restrictions and safety arrangements. Meanwhile, Yangwang confirmed the overseas name for its new sedan as Altior on October 27. Called Dingyao in China, the sedan is about 5,500 mm long with a 3,350 mm wheelbase, featuring rear-hinged rear doors and roof-mounted LiDAR, with production powertrain, battery capacity, range, and price remaining unconfirmed. The sedan is expected to debut overseas in Dubai in early November, around November 5. Yangwang also sells the U8 in the UAE through Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility, and in Australia, the U8 received Australian Design Rule type approval in October with a combined system output of 880 kW from its petrol engine and four electric motors. BYD has not publicly confirmed the selected venue, road closures, necessary permissions, or a firm date for the U9 Xtreme speed run.