The Yangwang U9 Xtreme has overtaken the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ as the world’s fastest production car, reaching a top speed of 496.22km/h at the Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany.
Powered by four electric motors producing a combined 2 200kW, the U9 Xtreme achieves this milestone while remaining fully electric, contrasting with the Chiron’s 8.0-litre, 16-cylinder, quad-turbo petrol engine that produces 1 176kW.
The U9 Xtreme, previously known as the U9 Track/Special Edition, builds on the technical foundation of the standard U9 sold in China. Key upgrades include 1 200V ultra-high-voltage electrics, a lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery with a 30C discharge rate, four motors operating up to 30 000rpm, track-level semi-slick tyres, and a revised DiSus-X suspension.
BYD’s luxury sub-brand Yangwang developed the hypercar, with executive vice president Stella Li describing the achievement as “an incredibly proud moment” for the research and development team. German racing specialist Marc Basseng piloted the record-breaking run, noting that electric power enables smoother acceleration without load changes, allowing greater focus on the track.
The U9 Xtreme will be produced in a limited run of no more than 30 units.
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