Chinese EV breaks world record for fastest production car
What's the story
BYD's luxury brand Yangwang has set a new world record for the fastest production car. The U9 Xtreme hypercar achieved an incredible speed of 503.17km/h in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first production car to cross that milestone. The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has officially recognized the achievement, adding credibility to Yangwang's remarkable accomplishment.
Record details
Driver Marc Basseng repeats his record-breaking performance
The record-breaking run was conducted on November 1, along Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11).
German racing driver Marc Basseng was behind the wheel, just like he had been for a previous record of 496.22km/h at Germany's ATP Papenburg proving ground in September 2025.
The U9 Xtreme also broke two Guinness World Records: fastest speed achieved by a production car in a single-direction run and fastest speed achieved by an electric production car in a single-direction run.
Road preparation
Preparing the road for the run was no easy task
Unlike the previous attempt in Germany, Yangwang chose a public road in Abu Dhabi for its latest record bid.
A 10km stretch of E11 was closed by local authorities, including a straight suitable for high-speed runs.
Preparing the road was no easy task due to its proximity to desert and regular traffic. The surface had to be swept and inspected carefully as even tiny pieces of wire left behind by cleaning equipment could have damaged tires or compromised car's stability.
Vehicle specs
U9 Xtreme is way more powerful than regular Yangwang U9
The U9 Xtreme is way more powerful than the regular Yangwang U9. Its four independently controlled electric motors each produce 745hp for a combined output of 2,977hp. That's more than double the standard model's 1,287hp.
The same specification has also lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in under seven minutes, making it the fastest production electric vehicle around the legendary German circuit.
Production plans
Production limited to just 30 units worldwide
Yangwang has no plans to mass-produce these hypercars, with production limited to just 30 units worldwide.
Some customers have already signed on the dotted line for this exclusive vehicle.
The U9 project has come a long way in a remarkably short time, going from 309km/h in January 2024 to breaking the 500km/h barrier in Abu Dhabi.