490km/h! BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme is world's fastest production car
What's the story
Yangwang, a luxury sub-brand of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD, has set a new world record for the fastest production car. The record was achieved at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany. The company's latest U9 Xtreme hypercar hit an incredible top speed of 492.22km/h, beating its own previous EV benchmark and even surpassing the top speed of petrol-powered cars.
Design evolution
What's inside the U9 Xtreme?
The U9 Xtreme, formerly known as the U9 Track/Special Edition, is a refined version of an existing model sold in China. It features major upgrades, including a 1200V ultra-high-voltage electric powertrain (upgraded from 800V), a lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery with an impressive discharge rate of 30C, and four ultra-high-speed motors that can reach up to 30,000rpm. Together, they produce over 3,000hp of power.
Collaborative achievement
The driver behind the record-breaking run
The record-breaking run was driven by Marc Basseng, a German track specialist with years of experience in sports-car racing and endurance motorsport. He credited the car's incredible performance for making this feat possible. "Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine," he said, adding that the electric motor made the car quiet and allowed him to focus more on driving.
Exclusive release
Limited production run of just 30 units
The U9 Xtreme is now available for customers, but only in a limited production run of up to 30 units. The name 'Xtreme' comes from the English word meaning "limit" and "ultimate," with an added emphasis on the letter 'X,' which stands for unknown. BYD executive vice-president Stella Li expressed her pride in this achievement, saying it's a proud moment for everyone involved in research and development.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the official post
FASTEST CAR ON THE PLANET
— BYD (@BYDCompany) September 21, 2025
The YANGWANG U9 Xtreme shattered the production-car speed record with a breathtaking run of 492.22 km/h at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg.
Watch the full VBOX top-speed run now. pic.twitter.com/Z7aApyfjoS