BYD’s luxury sub-brand Yangwang has unveiled the U9 Xtreme, an ultra-high-performance electric supercar that has claimed the title of the world’s fastest production vehicle.
Launched on Saturday, the U9 Xtreme recorded an officially certified top speed of 496.22 km/h (308.3 mph) at Germany’s ATP proving ground, surpassing the 472.41 km/h set by a Yangwang U9 test car in August. The company said it will produce only 30 units of the model, with reservations now open.
The U9 Xtreme also became the first pure-electric production vehicle to break the 7-minute barrier at Germany’s Nürburgring circuit, clocking a lap time of 6 minutes, 59.157 seconds. Built on a 1,200-volt high-voltage platform – the first production car globally to adopt such technology – the model uses BYD’s e4 powertrain system with four 555 kW motors, generating a combined output of more than 3,000 Ps and a power-to-weight ratio of 1,217 Ps per ton.
The vehicle incorporates BYD’s track-grade blade battery, which offers an ultra-high 30C discharge rate, while its tires were specially designed to endure speeds of up to 500 km/h. Yangwang said the “Xtreme” name reflects its aim to push the absolute limits of speed and performance.
The standard Yangwang U9, launched in China earlier this year at a starting price of RMB 1.68 million ($236,120), produces up to 1,306 Ps and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.36 seconds. Its earlier versions set multiple speed milestones, including 375 km/h in August 2024 and nearly 392 km/h in October.
Yangwang sold 405 vehicles in August, up 30.65% year-on-year and nearly 20% from July. The brand’s lineup includes the U8 SUV, the U9 supercar, and the U7 sedan.
