Yangwang U9 Xtreme Becomes First Production Car to Shatter 500 KMH Barrier at 313 MPH

While legacy supercar makers like Ferrari and Lamborghini step away from top-speed shootouts, China’s EV upstarts are charging full steam ahead. BYD‘s flagship brand, Yangwang, has officially smashed its own top speed record with the U9 Xtreme, clocking a blistering 312.66 mph (503.17 kmh) on a closed public highway in Abu Dhabi. This landmark run makes the U9 Xtreme the first production car in history to break the elusive 500 kmh threshold. The record-setting drive took place on a 6.2-mile (10 km) stretch of Abu Dhabi’s E11 highway, with 4.6 miles (7 km) utilized for the actual speed attempt, secured exclusively by BYD and meticulously cleared of desert sand and debris. German racing driver Marc Basseng piloted the hypercar.

The U9 Xtreme gets its jaw-dropping performance from a quad-motor electric powertrain pushing out over 2,959 HP (3,000 PS / 2,207 kW). Powering the system is a 1,200-volt electrical architecture—a major step up from the standard U9’s 800-volt setup—alongside a custom version of BYD’s Blade battery. Achieving the record required intense overnight engineering. After topping out at ‘only’ 304 mph (490 kmh) during initial runs a day prior, the team dialed in optimal battery and motor temperatures, adjusted the rear spoiler angle, modified the suspension’s rebound damping to cope with highway undulations, and optimized tire pressures. Those adjustments paid off, with Guinness World Records ratifying the historic 500+ kmh run.

It also marks the first time a top speed record has been set on public roads since Koenigsegg’s 2017 run on Nevada State Route 160. Along with the overall production car record, Yangwang picked up three additional accolades: fastest electric production car, fastest EV tire, and fastest road tire, utilizing special semi-slick rubber developed by Giti Tire. However, the triumph comes on the heels of a terrifying crash in China, where another U9 Xtreme was completely destroyed during a high-speed test run. BYD did not disclose the vehicle’s speed or the exact cause of the spin, but the impact with track guardrails left only the central carbon monocoque intact. Remarkably, the driver walked away without major injuries.