Introduction

The BYD YangWang U9 Xtreme has been verified to have a top speed of 308.4 mph (496.22 km/h) at Germany’s ATP Papenburg, making it the fastest production car ever and the first EV to hold the overall record.

What Happened

On September 14, 2025, the U9 Xtreme beat the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ (304.8 mph) to become the production-car top speed champion with a 308.4 mph run at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg. German driver Marc Basseng was behind the wheel for this milestone that shifts the speed record conversation to electric.

Key Specs

• Powertrain: Quad electric motors, over 3,000 PS combined, up to 30,000 rpm.
• Electrical architecture: First production car with 1,200V ultra-high-voltage platform, for extreme power and thermal efficiency.
• Battery: High-density LFP Blade Battery with 30C discharge rate for sustained top speed runs.
• Chassis and tires: DiSus-X suspension tuning and track-level semi-slick tires for high speed stability.
• Performance benchmark: Nürburgring Nordschleife production EV lap time 6:59.157.

What’s New vs Standard U9

The Xtreme upgrades the already impressive U9 with 1,200V electrics, re-tuned suspension and a power system designed for high-load operation at record speeds. BYD confirms the U9 Xtreme as a limited production model and a separate car from the standard U9, so it can claim the “production car” title.

Why It Matters

This is the first time an all-electric hypercar has taken the overall production-car speed record, a new era where EV powertrains beat combustion at Vmax. It shows China’s rapid progress in EV performance and puts BYD in the hypercar league.

Expert Voices

• Marc Basseng (driver): See Basseng’s long record pedigree and his role across both Bugatti and YangWang high-speed programs.
• BYD/YangWang: “a new standard in electric mobility”, zero-emission speed with unprecedented stability and power delivery.

Competitive Comparison

• vs Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+: 308.4 mph vs 304.8 mph, W16 gasoline vs quad-motor EV.
• vs EV hypercars: 308.4 mph vs Aspark Owl 272.6 mph, Rimac Nevera R 268.2 mph, BYD at the top of EV performance.

Limited Production Context

YangWang will build no more than 30 units of the U9 Xtreme, a verified, customer-available production run and eligible for production records. The model was previously referred to as Track/Special Edition before confirmation of its U9 Xtreme production identity.

Tech Highlights

• 1,200V system: reduces current for a given power level, less heat and sustained peak output during high-speed passes.
• Blade Battery 30C: high discharge rate for prolonged top-gear pull without voltage sag.
• Quad-motor torque vectoring: stability during banking and straights at extreme velocities.

Also read: Beyond the Hype: DiSus-X System Powers the Yangwang U9 to EV World Record

Market Context

BYD’s achievement comes as Chinese EVs go global, performance halo products complementing mass-market electrification leadership. US availability unlikely due to tariffs, European market entry for YangWang halo models in the medium term.

At-A-Glance Specs

• Top speed: 308.4 mph (496.22 km/h)
• Power: 3,000+ PS (quad motors)
• Voltage: 1,200V
• Battery: LFP Blade, 30C
• Nürburgring EV lap: 6:59.157
• Production: ≤30

Closing

The BYD YangWang U9 Xtreme hasn’t just reset the record books – it’s redrawn the EV performance map, proving that ultimate speed now belongs to electric engineering.