01 Oct 2025

The Yangwang U9 Xtreme: When China Rewrites the Speed Record Books

By EVWorld.com Si Editorial Team

308.4 mph Yangwang U9 Xtreme

By EVWorld.com Si Editorial Team

308.4 MPH. The Number That Changed Everything.

On a cold German morning at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg facility, former GT1 world champion Marc Basseng climbed into what looked like a spaceship designed by someone who'd binged too much sci-fi anime. The car was the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, and Basseng's job was simple: make it the fastest production car on Earth.

"After the first run, for me it felt like this would be quite easy," Basseng later recalled. "The acceleration of this car and the power is absolutely unbelievable."

Easy or not, when Basseng brought the U9 Xtreme back from its record run, the timing screens told a story that rewrote a century of automotive hierarchy: 308.4 mph. Faster than the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport's 304.8 mph. Faster than anything with an internal combustion engine. The world's fastest production car now wore a Chinese badge.

The Brand Nobody Saw Coming

Yangwang—a brand so new most Western enthusiasts still can't pronounce it—launched in early 2023 as BYD's ultra-premium sub-brand. BYD itself began in 1995 as a battery manufacturer and entered the auto industry in 2003. Today, it’s a global powerhouse spanning rail, electronics, and automobiles.

Yangwang debuted with two vehicles: the U8, a luxury SUV with plug-in hybrid tech, and the U9, a pure electric supercar priced around 1 million yuan (~$140,000). By late 2023, Yangwang had 60 showrooms under construction across China, with its flagship opening in Shanghai opposite the Oriental Pearl Tower.

The e4 Platform: Four Motors, Zero Compromise

At the heart of the U9 Xtreme is BYD’s e4 Platform—a quad-motor system delivering unmatched control and power. The standard U9 uses four 240 kW motors (1,287 hp), hits 62 mph in 2.36 seconds, and tops out at 192 mph. It even clocked a 7:17.9 lap at Nürburgring.

The Xtreme version pushes each motor to 555 kW (744 hp) at 30,000 rpm, totaling 2,977 hp and a power-to-weight ratio of 1,217 PS/tonne. Torque vectoring adjusts over 100 times per second, allowing Basseng to steer at 300+ mph with inputs “less than a degree.”

Its active suspension can individually control wheel height and damping—allowing the car to “jump” over obstacles and manage aerodynamic pitch at extreme speeds.

Going for the Record

The record-setting U9 Xtreme was nearly identical to the 30 customer cars planned, aside from semi-slick tires and track-tuned suspension. Basseng and BYD engineers tested incrementally on ATP’s 2.5-mile straight, noting dramatic changes above 250 mph.

On August 8, 2025, the U9 Track Edition hit 472.41 kph (293.5 mph), setting an electric car speed record. The final Xtreme configuration surpassed even that. Basseng believes the powertrain could go faster, but “another 6 kph more can make a lot of difference.”

The Retail Reality

The standard U9 launched in February 2024, with deliveries beginning in September. By January 2025, roughly 100 units had been delivered. The U9 Xtreme is even rarer—only 30 customer cars planned, with pricing expected well above the standard $231,000.

Outside China, Yangwang faces regulatory hurdles, especially in the U.S. Europe and the Middle East are more likely expansion targets, with early signs of interest in Kuwait and Thailand.

What It Means

The U9 Xtreme’s record isn’t just a headline—it’s a paradigm shift. A Chinese EV now holds the top speed crown, built by a company that also makes city buses. The technology behind it could eventually reach more accessible vehicles.

The internal combustion engine’s reign is over. Electric power—instant torque, software-driven control, compact packaging—has become the ultimate performance solution. Bugatti, Koenigsegg, and Hennessey must evolve or risk irrelevance.

And Yangwang? The brand that nobody saw coming just announced its arrival by going faster than everyone else. Looking up, indeed.

Original Backlink

Views: 1253