Amazing: this Chinese electric car has just reached 503.17 km/h, setting two world records!
The 500 km/h mark has just been broken by a production electric car! On November 1, 2026, the BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached the astonishing speed of 503.17 km/h on a road in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This performance earned it two Guinness World Records.
Yangwang U9 Xtreme: 503.17 km/h on a Road in Abu Dhabi
It seems there are no limits to the speed record chase at BYD. After already impressing the automotive world in September 2025, its luxury brand Yangwang has reached a new milestone with the U9 Xtreme.
On November 1, 2026, the all-electric hypercar reached 503.17 km/h on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi. This performance was achieved by German driver Marc Basseng, who had already been behind the wheel during the previous record set by the manufacturer.
To understand the progress made, it’s enough to look back a few months. In September 2025, on the ATP Papenburg test track in Germany, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached 496.22 km/h. Thus, the Chinese manufacturer improved upon its previous record by nearly 7 km/h.
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This time, the symbolic threshold of 500 km/h has been surpassed. And not by just a few tenths! According to BYD, this performance enables the U9 Xtreme to earn two Guinness World Records titles: the fastest speed ever achieved by a production car on a one-way stretch, across all engine types, and the fastest speed for a production electric car under the same conditions.
The manufacturer also states that this achievement has been recognized by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Yangwang U9 Xtreme: An Exceptional Technical Spec Sheet
To achieve such speeds, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme relies on a particularly impressive electrical architecture. This extreme evolution of the Chinese supercar is built on a 1,200-volt electric platform and features four motors, one per wheel, generating a combined power output of over 3,000 horsepower. An exceptional level of power, combined with advanced electronic control of propulsion and specially developed tires capable of withstanding speeds above 500 km/h.
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The hypercar also features a Blade LFP battery designed to handle extreme stress, along with an enhanced cooling system. BYD plans to produce only 30 units, making the U9 Xtreme a true technological showcase rather than a car intended for the general public.
What were the previous speed records?
Before this new achievement, the fastest car on a single track was already the Yangwang U9 Xtreme itself! On September 14, 2025, it reached 496.22 km/h on the Papenburg circuit in Germany.
This first performance allowed it to dethrone the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, which had reached 490.484 km/h in August 2019 on the Ehra-Lessien track in Germany. The British driver Andy Wallace was then at the wheel of a pre-production prototype of this French hypercar, equipped with a 1,600 horsepower W16 engine.
But be careful, not all speed records are set using the same protocol. Historically, the standard for production cars has been to make two passes in opposite directions and then calculate their average speed. This method helps to minimize the impact of wind and slope.
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In this category, the American SSC Tuatara still holds the highest recognized average speed to date at 455.3 km/h. This performance was achieved in January 2021 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with measurements verified by Racelogic.
The Tuatara surpassed the 447.19 km/h average set in November 2017 by the Koenigsegg Agera RS on a closed road in Nevada.
The 503.17 km/h speed achieved by the Yangwang U9 Xtreme cannot be directly compared to these round-trip averages. Nevertheless, it sets a new benchmark for peak speed measured over a single run, according to the categories defined by Guinness World Records.
An electric car pushing the limits of performance
With the U9 Xtreme, Yangwang aims to show that electric powertrains are no longer just associated with impressive acceleration. They can also compete with the most extreme models in terms of top speed.
Reaching speeds over 500 km/h represents a significant technical challenge, regardless of the energy source used. At such velocities, aerodynamic resistance, vehicle stability, tires, and managing mechanical stresses become major concerns. The achievement is all the more notable as it was accomplished by a Chinese manufacturer on a track historically associated with European hypercars.
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BYD does not present this record as merely a display of power. For the company, it also serves as a platform to highlight the capabilities of its electric technologies and the expertise of its engineers.
There is obviously a significant difference between a hypercar designed to push the limits of speed and the electric cars we use daily. But the U9 Xtreme primarily serves as a technological laboratory and a brand ambassador.
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A historic performance to be featured in a video on Bevolt soon!
With a speed of 503.17 km/h, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme reaches a new milestone in the race for top speed. It particularly demonstrates that electric cars can now achieve performance levels once reserved for the most extreme internal combustion engines.
While the SSC Tuatara maintains its lead over two opposite directions, the Chinese brand further pushes the limits of maximum speed measured in a single direction.
Beyond the numerical figure, this record also highlights BYD’s ambition to establish itself as a leading technological player, even in the field of hypercars.
And to wrap things up, some good news: you will soon be able to discover the behind-the-scenes of this performance in a new video on Bevolt created by Charles “Weelyke” Rivoire. Stay tuned!