YANGWANG U9 Xtreme Just Broke the 500 km/h Barrier With a Stunning New World Record
By Google News Motors ·
BYD has pushed electric performance into uncharted territory after its luxury brand, YANGWANG, set a new world speed record with the all-electric U9 Xtreme hypercar. The electric supercar reached an astonishing 503.17 km/h (312.65 mph) in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first production car to officially surpass the 500 km/h barrier.
The achievement beats the previous record of 496.22 km/h (308.33 mph), set by the same vehicle in Germany in September 2025. It also establishes a new benchmark for electric production cars, demonstrating how far high-performance EV technology has advanced in just a few years.
The record-breaking run took place on November 1, 2026, along Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. Professional racing driver Marc Basseng, who also piloted the U9 Xtreme during its previous record attempt, was behind the wheel.
The achievement earned the U9 Xtreme four Guinness World Records, covering the fastest production car, fastest electric production car, fastest EV tyre and fastest road car tyre. The record was also recognised by the FIA, motorsport’s international governing body.
Breaking the 500 km/h barrier has been one of the automotive industry’s biggest challenges for decades. Until now, this territory has largely remained beyond the reach of production vehicles, particularly electric cars.
The YANGWANG U9 Xtreme managed to achieve what conventional combustion-powered production cars have struggled to accomplish, relying on four electric motors, advanced battery technology and sophisticated vehicle control systems.
BYD Executive Vice-President Stella Li praised the engineering team behind the project, highlighting how development continued even after the previous 496.22 km/h record was achieved.
The latest result represents a significant step forward for BYD’s ambitions in high-performance electric vehicles and puts the Chinese manufacturer in an increasingly exclusive position in the global hypercar market.
Reaching more than 500 km/h on a public road required much more than simply increasing motor power. The Abu Dhabi attempt involved extensive preparation, technical adjustments and careful coordination with local authorities.
A 10-kilometre section of road was made available for the event, including a seven-kilometre straight suitable for high-speed testing. Because the route was close to the desert and regularly used by traffic, the surface required extensive cleaning and inspection before the attempts.
The first two runs took place on October 31, with the U9 Xtreme reaching approximately 490 km/h.
Following those attempts, BYD engineers worked overnight to improve the vehicle’s setup. Several adjustments were made to maximise performance and stability:
– Suspension: The software was recalibrated to increase rebound damping and better manage road surface imperfections. – Aerodynamics: The rear-wing angle was adjusted to generate additional downforce over the rear axle. – Tyres: Pressure settings were fine-tuned to improve high-speed stability. – Thermal management: Battery and motor temperatures were optimised before the next attempts.
Two additional runs followed on November 1. The first confirmed improvements in suspension, aerodynamics and tyre performance, while the second produced the record-breaking 503.17 km/h result.
At the heart of the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme is BYD’s upgraded e4 Platform, featuring four independently controlled electric motors.
Each motor…
Originally published by Google News Motors
