BYD’S YANGWANG U9 XTREME IS THE WORLD’S FASTEST PRODUCTION CAR AT ALMOST 500 KM/H!
The war for ultimate speed has a new king, and this time it doesn’t burn a drop of petrol. YANGWANG, the luxury sub-brand of Chinese new-energy giant BYD, has just smashed the global production-car top-speed record, clocking a staggering 496.22 km/h at Germany’s ATP Papenburg test track. Not only does that number eclipse the U9’s own previous EV benchmark from a few weeks before, it also leapfrogs the 490.48 km/h mark set by the fastest combustion-powered hypercars, making the U9 Xtreme (U9X) the fastest production car on the planet, period. No fuel, no flames - just electrons and outrageous engineering. Once known as the U9 Track/Special Edition, the U9X is the most hardcore evolution yet of the YANGWANG U9 road car. It’s limited to just 30 units worldwide, and in case the numbers don’t make it clear enough, this is no fancy showpiece - it’s an assault weapon for tarmac that almost defies physics.
Under its skin sits a powertrain straight out of science fiction:
1200V ultra-high-voltage architecture (most EVs still run 400–800V)
Lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery with a wild 30C discharge rate
Four ultra-high-speed motors, each spinning at up to 30,000rpm, delivering a combined output north of 3,000PS
Track-spec semi-slick tyres developed to handle the obscene forces
Revised DiSus-X suspension, tuned specifically to survive circuit stresses at nearly 500 km/h
Put simply, this is an electric car engineered not just to silence critics of EV performance, but to torch their playbook.
1200V ultra-high-voltage architecture (most EVs still run 400–800V)
Lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery with a wild 30C discharge rate
Four ultra-high-speed motors, each spinning at up to 30,000rpm, delivering a combined output north of 3,000PS
Track-spec semi-slick tyres developed to handle the obscene forces
Revised DiSus-X suspension, tuned specifically to survive circuit stresses at nearly 500 km/h
German endurance racing ace Marc Basseng was the man strapped in for the record run, and even for him, the experience was unique. “This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance,” Basseng explained after stepping out of the cockpit. “Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. With electric power, the car is quiet, smooth, no load changes - that allows me to focus even more on the track.” That quietness at almost 500 km/h? Borderline sci-fi.
For BYD, this wasn’t a publicity stunt; it was a message. Stella Li, BYD’s Executive Vice President, summed it up: “YANGWANG is a brand that does not recognise the impossible, and only through this commitment to what’s coming next can you end up with a vehicle like the U9X. It’s terrific that the fastest production car in the world is now electric.”
The U9X name itself carries that philosophy. “Extreme” points to its limit-pushing design, while the “X” stands for the unknown - the territory BYD insists it’s willing to explore while most legacy brands still hesitate. By setting a new speed record, BYD hasn’t just proved that electric cars can compete at the top - it’s proved they can lead. The YANGWANG U9 Xtreme redefines what a hypercar can be: silent, sustainable, but still savage enough to bend physics. Only 30 lucky owners will get the keys, but the message is global. The era of the combustion-powered top-speed king is over. The future is electric, and it just hit 496.22 km/h.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows some insane footage of the world's fastest car in action - it looks like a video game, it's that damn bonkers: FASTEST CAR ON THE PLANET | BYD Company
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