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BYD’s Chinese Electric Hypercar Breaks World Speed Record, Exceeding 500 km/h on Highway
The Chinese brand Yangwang has just dethroned the long-standing speed record holder among production cars. Its electric hypercar, the U9 Xtreme, accelerated to over 500 km/h on a regular highway in Abu Dhabi, making history in the automotive world.
A New Frontier in Speed
For several years, the speed record in the production car category belonged to Bugatti, which achieved 490 km/h in 2019. This result seemed almost insurmountable until the Chinese brand Yangwang, a subsidiary of BYD, entered the scene. The U9 Xtreme model, driven by German racing driver Marc Basseng, reached an astounding 503.17 km/h (312.65 mph) on a closed section of the E11 highway in Abu Dhabi. Both the FIA and the Guinness World Records have officially confirmed this remarkable achievement.
This feat is particularly impressive given the test location. It wasn’t a specialized testing facility or a race track, but a typical section of an urban highway featuring a seven-kilometer straight. The emirate authorities temporarily closed a ten-kilometer stretch of road for the attempt. The driver required two attempts to break the record. In August, the same car reached 472 km/h, and a month later, nearly 496 km/h. The final surge of just under 7 km/h was enough to open a new chapter in automotive speed.
Electric Performance Redefined
In comparison, the previous speed record among electric vehicles was held by the Rimac Nevera R, at 431 km/h. Yangwang not only surpassed this but did so by a significant margin and under conditions usually associated more with everyday traffic than with breaking world records.
This achievement highlights the rapid advancements in electric vehicle technology. For context on other EV advancements, one might consider innovations in semi-solid-state batteries for electric cars, which promise greater energy density and safety, contributing to the overall evolution of the EV market.
Engineering Marvel: What Powers the Yangwang U9 Xtreme?
Behind this groundbreaking achievement is a suite of solutions that, until recently, sounded like science fiction. The U9 Xtreme is the first production car based on a 1200 V architecture. The BYD Blade Battery is capable of delivering enormous energy with intense power, while four specially designed electric motors can rev up to 30,000 revolutions per minute. Each motor momentarily outputs over half a megawatt of power, collectively generating more than three thousand horsepower.
Additionally, the car features titanium-ceramic brakes and tires specifically developed by Chinese manufacturers for speeds exceeding 500 km/h. This comprehensive package ensures that the car can not only accelerate to such extreme speeds but also safely handle them. Yangwang plans to build only thirty units of the Xtreme version, making it an exclusive and highly coveted machine.
The innovation seen in the U9 Xtreme’s power delivery system underscores BYD’s commitment to advanced EV technology. This ambition extends to broader infrastructure, with efforts underway for BYD megawatt EV charging in Europe, indicating a holistic approach to electric mobility.
Beyond Speed: Yangwang’s Ambitious Future
The brand does not intend to stop here. On November 8th, in Abu Dhabi, Yangwang is set to unveil the Altior model – a luxurious competitor aiming to challenge established brands like Maybach. It appears that the Chinese manufacturers are using the Emirates not only as a stage for breaking records but also as a crucial platform to showcase their broader ambitions in the global automotive market.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme set a new world speed record for a production car by achieving 503.17 km/h (312.65 mph).
The record was set on a closed section of the E11 highway in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
German racing driver Marc Basseng was behind the wheel when the record was broken.
The U9 Xtreme features a 1200 V architecture, a BYD Blade Battery, and four electric motors that collectively produce over 3,000 horsepower. It also uses specially developed titanium-ceramic brakes and tires.
Yangwang plans to build a limited run of only thirty units of the U9 Xtreme version.
Source: Android Authority, original reporting. Opening photo: BYD / press materials
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