BYD: Yangwang U9 Xtreme “sets new standards for pure electric drives”
Image: BYD
The U9 Xtreme, the electric hypercar from luxury brand Yangwang backed by China’s electric vehicle giant BYD, has set a new world speed record for production vehicles at 503.17 km/h. This surpasses its previous record of 496.22 km/h and marks the first time an electric car has exceeded 500 km/h. This performance is driven by extensive technical improvements to the engine, battery, power electronics, suspension, and tires. Engineers revised numerous components of the original U9 to meet the demands of extreme speeds.
According to the details, the focus is on a fully optimized electric drive with four motors. Each motor delivers 555 kW (755 horsepower) of power and can reach speeds of up to 30,000 revolutions per minute. To achieve this, materials such as the “world’s thinnest super-silicon steel produced in series” with a thickness of 0.1 millimeters in the stator, ultra-high-strength silicon steel with a strength of 970 megapascals in the rotor, and aerospace-grade aluminum for the motor housings are used. Together, the four electric motors generate over 2207 kW (3000 horsepower), more than double the output of the previous U9 model.
The power-to-weight ratio of the U9 Xtreme is 895 kW (1217 HP) per ton. The e4 platform’s independent four-motor torque distribution system handles the distribution of driving force, adjusting the torque to each individual wheel more than 100 times per second. It continuously monitors driving behavior and controls the vehicle’s body position even at high speeds. This system ensures that no wheel spins out or loses traction.
A key technical innovation is the 1200-volt “ultra-high-speed platform.” The U9 Xtreme is the first production model to feature this technology, capable of handling currents up to 1000 amperes. Combined with the improved “Blade” battery, the power density per cell has increased by 170 percent compared to an 800-volt system, enabling discharge rates of 30C. This represents up to ten times the discharge rate of conventional electric vehicle batteries and twice that of other electric supercars, according to the developers.
The Blade battery retains its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and features a robust, space-efficient design according to its developers. Even at 20 percent charge, it can still deliver 1800 kW of power, while the maximum energy recovery rate exceeds 700 kW. This recovery reduces the strain on mechanical brakes and helps achieve more consistent braking performance under race track conditions. Meanwhile, the 1200-volt platform reduces heat generation by up to 67 percent compared to an 800-volt system at the same power level.
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The suspension has also been tuned to meet the demands of high speeds. The intelligent body control system DiSus-X relies on electronic two-valve dampers with a capacity of over 12 kilonewtons, capable of delivering up to 50 kilonewtons of active force within 120 milliseconds. This technology allows independent vertical adjustments of the suspension at all four corners of the vehicle, suppressing body movement during acceleration and braking. Additionally, the U9 Xtreme can tilt up to 2.43 degrees at 0.3 g in corners using this system, actively optimizing the contact area between the tires and the road surface.
For tire development, Yangwang collaborates with Giti Tire. The result is a race-oriented semislick tire featuring optimized rubber compounds and a specially tailored tread design. A ribbed pattern at the interface between the tire and rim, along with a high-viscosity lubricant, minimizes relative slip during intense acceleration and braking. This helps reduce torque losses and tire wear, while improving predictability and stability at extreme speeds and high lateral accelerations.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li views the vehicle’s technical development as a milestone for electric drive systems. Referring to the achieved speed of 503.17 km/h, she says, “It sets new standards for pure electric drives, far exceeding what others might only dream of.” Marc Basseng, the record-breaking driver behind the U9X, emphasizes, “Unlike a specialized test track, a public road poses entirely different challenges, making precision, stability, and confidence in the vehicle more important than ever.”
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme is limited to 30 units worldwide. “Some customers have already finalized their customized specifications and are now in the contract signing and production planning phase,” says the manufacturer. Prices have not been disclosed.
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About the author
Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with professional experience in the automotive industry and finance sector. Since 2011, he has been covering electric cars, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions on ecomento.de. Learn more.
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