BYD has done it again. Just after the BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme (formerly called the U9 Track Edition) broke the world top speed record for a production car. After beating the Croatian Rimac Nevera R, the BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme achieved the global production-car top-speed record of 496.22 kph at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany.
The record-breaking feat was achieved on September 14, 2025, eclipsing its previous EV benchmark and the 490.484 kph maximum speed of the gas-powered Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ petrol-powered model to become the world’s fastest car overall. This modern milestone in engineering sets a new standard in electric mobility, mixing unrivalled power and speed with zero emissions.
Originally known as the U9 Track/Special Edition, which is now officially named Yangwang U9 Xtreme in its production guise, or U9X for short, the fastest car on the planet builds upon the existing technical architecture of the U9 currently on sale in China, harnessing the potential of several key evolutions.
These include, but are not limited to: an upgraded powertrain with 1200V ultra-high-voltage electrics (compared with 800-volt), a lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery with a remarkable discharge rate of 30C, four ultra-high-speed motors that that operate at up to 30,000rpm and produce a total of more than 3000 hp, track-level semi-slick tyres, and revised DiSus-X suspension with specific tuning to cope with the increased stresses of circuit driving.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said: “This is an incredibly proud moment for everyone in the research and development division. 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. I extend my gratitude to the whole team, and my thanks to the driver, Marc Basseng, for his skill and technical input. It’s terrific that the fastest production car in the world is now electric.”
The driver for the U9X’s record-breaking run was Marc Basseng, a German track specialist with a long history in sports-car racing and endurance motorsport. He said: “This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance. Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track.”
The BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme is now available to customers, with a limited series production run of 30 units or fewer. Its name is derived from the English word ‘Extreme’, meaning ‘limit’ and ‘ultimate’, with added emphasis on the ‘X’, which represents the unknown. These qualities fit perfectly with Yangwang’s ethos of taking joy and delight from the act of exploration and the innovations that come through that process.
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