BYD's electric hypercar is the fastest car in the world
The Chinese electric hypercar reached 503.17 km/h, becoming the fastest production car in the world.
After several attempts and a serious accident, the BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme has just etched its name into history: it is the first production car to surpass the 500 km/h mark.
This achievement was made on November 1 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and the result was recognized by the International Automobile Federation (FIA). This recognition allowed the Chinese electric hypercar to claim two Guinness World Records: the fastest production car in the world and the fastest electric production car in the world, both in a single-direction attempt.
The driver of the record-breaking car was German pilot Marc Basseng, who had already piloted the U9 Xtreme during the previous record attempt in September 2025. At that time, the hypercar reached 496.22 km/h. Now, he has broken his own record.
The venue for this record attempt was the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi. The attempt involved cooperation with local authorities and required the closure of a section about 10 kilometers long, including a seven-kilometer straight road for high-speed tests.
The testing took place over two days. During the initial attempts on October 31, the U9 Xtreme reached 490 km/h. The engineers then used the data collected to make adjustments to the aerodynamics, suspension tuning, and even tire pressure.
The adjustments worked, as the next day, BYD’s electric hypercar reached 503.17 km/h, achieving its goal of surpassing the 500 km/h mark.
This achievement becomes even more impressive when put in perspective. In just three years, BYD improved the Yangwang U9’s top speed from 309 km/h, the maximum speed achieved by the original version in early tests, to well over 500 km/h.
Four electric motors and over 3000 horsepower
To achieve this result, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme was significantly modified compared to other U9 models. It features four independent electric motors that deliver a combined maximum power of over 3000 horsepower and are capable of reaching 30,000 rpm. The system is powered by a 1200 V electrical architecture.
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The technical aspects don’t stop at the engines. This Chinese hypercar comes equipped with an advanced torque distribution system, specialized battery thermal management, active suspension, and tires specifically developed for it by Giti Tire.
The Singaporean tire brand also set two records: the GitiSport e.GTR2 Pro now becomes the fastest tire for electric cars and the fastest tire for road cars in the world.
The current record holder, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, will be limited to only 30 units. As for its price, the Chinese brand has not yet revealed it, but one unit was sold for around three million dollars at the last Beijing Auto Show, which is equivalent to approximately 2.7 million euros.