The Yangwang U9 Xtreme Hits 312.66 MPH in Abu Dhabi to Set a New Production Car Speed Record
Production is limited to 30 units worldwide, starting at $2.76 million USD and sold only in China.
Summary
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme hit 312.66 mph on a prepared public road in Abu Dhabi to break the 500 km/h barrier
The quad-motor electric supercar utilized 2,978 hp to secure two Guinness World Records and official F.I.A. recognition
Limited to just 30 units globally, the $2.76 million USD vehicle cements the engineering might of Chinese EVs on the global stage
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme registered a top speed of 312.66 mph (503.17 km/h). With veteran sports-car and endurance racer Marc Basseng at the wheel, the supercar became the first production vehicle to surpass the 500 km/h threshold. The historic run took place in Abu Dhabi on a closed 6.21-mile stretch of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in the Al Dhafra region. Crews cleaned and prepared the public highway specifically for the high-stakes sprint. By taking the run to a public road, parent company BYD sought to prove that its vehicle possesses capabilities extending outside the confines of a race track.
A quad-motor powertrain architecture powers the vehicle, placing a distinct e-motor at each wheel. Together, the electric setup produces 2,978 hp (3,019 PS) and 2,478 ft-lbs of torque. The performance prompted BYD executive vice president Stella Li to note in a press release that the brand’s engineers are “young, bold and maybe a little crazy.” As the luxury brand of BYD, the world’s largest manufacturer of new-energy vehicles, Yangwang developed the Yangwang U9 Xtreme as the world’s fastest car to showcase the technical capabilities of Chinese electric vehicles.
This Abu Dhabi performance followed the automaker’s previous record run. The speed of 312.66 mph broke the vehicle’s former record of 308.34 mph (496.22 km/h). Basseng set that earlier mark 13 months prior at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg facility in Germany. Official recognition came from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (F.I.A.), the governing body of world motorsports. The single-direction run also earned two Guinness World Records: “Highest Speed achieved by a Production Car in a single-direction run” and “Highest Speed achieved by an Electric Production Car in a single-direction run.”
Production of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme is limited to 30 units worldwide. Pricing for the EV begins at $2.76 million USD. The vehicle is currently unavailable for purchase or import into the U.S. market. Prospective buyers hoping to secure a build slot must travel to China to complete the purchase.
