BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme Crosses 500 Kmph Production Record
Chinese automaker BYD has reached a historic automotive milestone with its Yangwang U9 Xtreme electric megacar, clocking 503.17 km/h on a closed highway in Abu Dhabi. The high-speed demonstration marks the first time any series-production vehicle has crossed the 500 km/h barrier on open asphalt. German racing driver Marc Basseng steered the all-electric hypercar along a closed section of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road in the Al Dhafra region. The performance surpassed the previous production mark of 496.22 km/h that Basseng registered at Germany's ATP Papenburg testing grounds in September 2025. Both the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile and Guinness World Records recognized the single-direction run, validating the new benchmark for production vehicles.
Record Run on Abu Dhabi Highway
Abu Dhabi authorities cordoned off a 10 km stretch of the E11 highway, providing the engineering team with a dedicated 7 km straight course. During initial runs, Basseng maxed out at 490 km/h before technicians executed overnight adjustments to the rear wing angles, adaptive damping, and tire pressures. On the final attempt of November 1, Basseng piloted the machine across the timing traps to set the 503.17 km/h record, verified by Racelogic recording systems. The run eclipsed the previous 490.48 km/h record set by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019. Because traditional automotive records demand a two-way average within an hour, the single-direction sprint preserves the SSC Tuatara's official two-way benchmark of 455 km/h.
Quad-Motor Powertrain and 1200V Architecture
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme relies on a specialized four-motor electric powertrain generating an aggregate output of 2,977 bhp, exceeding 3,000 PS. Each individual electric motor produces 555 kW and spins up to 30,000 rpm, delivering power directly through a sophisticated torque vectoring architecture. The vehicle is built upon a 1,200V electrical platform paired with an 80 kWh Blade Battery utilizing lithium iron phosphate cell chemistry. Featuring an extreme 30C discharge rate, the battery pack sustains massive electrical throughput across the 1200V and 1000A electrical system. The track-focused electric hypercar accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 2.36 seconds, utilizing titanium calipers paired with carbon-ceramic brake rotors. BYD's 1,200V electrical platform reduces heat generation by up to 67% compared with an 800V system, allowing the Blade Battery to support 1,800 kW of output even at 20% state of charge. The standard Yangwang U9 achieved 309 km/h in China in January 2024 and 391.94 km/h at ATP Papenburg in October 2024, before the U9 Xtreme reached 472.41 km/h in August 2025, according to FIA.
Aerodynamic Equipment and Limited Production
Aerodynamic enhancements include a prominent carbon fiber front splitter, a dual-channel hood, a tall swan neck rear wing, and a massive rear diffuser. Chassis control is managed by an updated DiSus-X intelligent body control system capable of executing real-time damping calibrations across every wheel. The car rode on bespoke GitiSport e-GTR2 Pro semi-slick tires engineered specifically with Giti Tire for extreme high-speed stability. BYD plans to produce only 30 units of the record-setting megacar worldwide, with pricing established around $3 million per vehicle.
Background
Customers have approved bespoke specifications for the Yangwang U9 Xtreme and are moving into contract signing and production scheduling, according to BYD.