China’s BYD has stunned the automotive world after its luxury performance brand YangWang set a blistering new top speed record with the U9 Xtreme.
The all-electric hypercar clocked 308.4 mph (496.22 km/h) at Germany’s ATP Papenburg high-speed oval, eclipsing Bugatti’s Chiron Super Sport 300+ single-direction record of 304.77 mph set in 2019.
The run was completed with racing driver Marc Basseng behind the wheel. Although the record was achieved in a single direction, meaning the SSC Tuatara’s two-way average of 282.9 mph (455.3 km/h) remains the official benchmark, the feat marks the first time an electric production car has breached the 308-mph barrier.
The U9 Xtreme, a track-focused evolution of the recently unveiled U9, owes its staggering pace to four electric motors producing a combined 2,978 horsepower, more than double the output of the standard version. It is also the first production car to run on a 1,200-volt platform with ultra-dense batteries, giving it a significant edge in performance.
Only 30 units of the U9 Xtreme will be built, and while pricing remains under wraps, industry watchers expect demand to far exceed supply.
An onboard video shows the hypercar storming down the track, accelerating past 280 mph (450 km/h) and 292 mph (470 km/h) with remarkable ease before hitting its record speed.
Basseng was forced to lift off just shy of 310.6 mph (500 km/h) when the car began drifting towards the track barrier, suggesting the U9 Xtreme still has untapped potential.
With this run, BYD has not only outpaced one of Europe’s most storied hypercars but also signaled that the future of top-speed records may well belong to electric power.
