YANGWANG says its U9 Xtreme reached 503.17 km/h on 1 November 2026 during a controlled attempt on the E11 in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region. BYD published the result on 6 November, reporting Guinness World Records for the highest speed achieved by a production car and by an electric production car in a single-direction run, together with FIA recognition.
The record format is important when comparing top-speed headlines. This result is explicitly a single-direction run. The road was closed with local-authority cooperation, with 10 km available and a longest straight of seven kilometres. Marc Basseng drove the car, having also taken the U9 Xtreme to 496.22 km/h at ATP Papenburg in September 2025.
How the team found the extra speed
The release describes two runs on 31 October, reaching 490 km/h, followed by overnight changes. Engineers adjusted preparation procedures for battery and motor temperatures, increased rear-wing downforce, revised suspension rebound damping and refined tyre pressures. Two further runs on 1 November culminated in the reported 503.17 km/h.
That makes this an example of the whole vehicle working together. Power delivery, thermal preparation, tyres, suspension and aerodynamics all feature in BYD's account of the attempt. The specialist Giti tyres and closely inspected road surface were part of the record programme.
The technology behind U9 Xtreme
BYD quotes 3,019 PS for the four-motor car, with individual motors rated at 555 kW and capable of up to 30,000 rpm. The e4 platform controls torque independently at each wheel. A 1,200 V electrical architecture and an LFP Blade Battery support the high discharge power, while DiSus-X provides active control at all four suspension corners.
The same announcement cites the U9 Xtreme's 6 min 59.157 sec Nordschleife benchmark. Taken together, the two results offer separate views of its development programme, one focused on maximum speed and the other on a circuit lap.
YANGWANG plans a worldwide production run of 30 U9 Xtreme cars. The company says some buyers have approved their individual specifications and are moving towards contracts and production scheduling. This remains a highly specialised hypercar programme within the wider BYD group.
Press photographs
Adapted by the BYDbase editorial team from the official BYD press release published 06 November 2026. Published on BYDbase by PTiCA. Photographs © BYD.
This article is filed under the original press-release date. Editorial adaptation and source check completed on 6 November 2026.
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