Well, that was fast. Just weeks after the BYD Yangwang U9 became the world’s fastest electric production car by going 294 miles per hour, it has done it again by exceeding 308 mph. The previous record-holder was a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ that went nearly 304.48 mph in 2019. For the first time ever, the world’s fastest production car is not powered by an internal combustion engine.
The feat occurred at the same track as the car’s previous record, the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany, on September 14. Marc Basseng was again behind the wheel. This time, however, the U9 had a new name. Yangwang dropped the “Track Edition” from the end of this limited edition model’s moniker and is now calling it the U9 Xtreme. It’s well-earned, if you ask us.
How Did A Chinese EV Become The World’s Fastest Car?
The answer is power, and lots of it. The U9 Track Edition has four electric motors, one at each wheel. Together, they produce over 3,000 horsepower. That right there does the heavy lifting, but power alone doesn’t get you to 308 mph.
The U9 Xtreme, or U9X for short, uses upgraded 1,200-volt electronics in place of the standard U9’s 800-volt architecture. And while we don’t talk about the discharge rate of battery packs very often, the U9X has an exceptionally high C-rate of 30. For comparison’s sake, the C-rate of the highest performing Teslas is between 5–6C.
Mechanically, the U9X was aided by a set of track-specific semi-slick tires and an upgraded suspension system tuned specifically for the type of circuit it would be driving when attempting to break the record.
Commenting on his team’s achievement, BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said, “This is an incredibly proud moment for everyone in the research and development division. YANGWANG is a brand that does not recognize the impossible, and only through this commitment to what’s coming next can you end up with a vehicle like the U9X.”
To break the record, the U9X must be a production car, so Yangwang is producing 30 units in a limited series production run. If you can’t get the record-breaking U9X, the standard U9 is no slouch either, with nearly 1,300 horsepower and a 0-60 time of just 2.36 seconds. It can even drive on three wheels thanks to its trick DiSus Suspension System.
TopSpeed’s Take
Look no further for proof than this vehicle that Chinese automakers are eating the world’s lunch when it comes to electric cars. BYD and Yangwang attempted to break the record once, but only managed to beat the EV production car top speed record, and returned just weeks later to finish the job and lay claim to the overall production car top speed record.
Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti… these companies used to be the gladiators that went for “Fastest Car In The World” honors. They filled magazine pages and were plastered on bedroom walls. And today, they’ve been beaten by a Chinese automaker and its electric car.
Will a gas-powered car ever reclaim the title, or do EVs now have an iron grip on every performance metric by which a car can be measured? Bugatti may attempt to answer the call with its new Tourbillon hypercar, though it will require a special version suited to the task, as it did with the Chiron. The Tourbillon is also technically a hybrid with a naturally aspirated V16 engine augmented by three electric motors. Combined, they produce 1,775 hp, which frankly isn’t going to cut it against the U9X. Your move, Bugatti.