The world has a new fastest car: It comes from China and almost hit 500km/h
Yangwang U9 Xtreme is now the world's fastest production car.
Image: Supplied
And just like that, the world has a new fastest car and it’s not from Bugatti or that insane American outfit whose name sounds like Whisky. Planet Earth’s most brisk production vehicle now comes from China, and it’s fully electric.
On September 14, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme hypercar hit a top speed of 496.22km/h at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany. With Marc Basseng behind the wheel, the electric hypercar narrowly ousted the Bugatti Chiron Prototype that hit 490.48km/h in 2019.
But what is the Yangwang U9 Xtreme?
Yangwang is a sub-brand of BYD, the world’s biggest electric car producer, and the U9 Xtreme (U9X) is a more extreme version of the ‘regular’ U9 hypercar. The company will be producing a limited run of just 30 vehicles.
Driver Marc Basseng believes this feat would not be possible with a combustion engine.
Image: Supplied
The U9X features a modified powertrain as well as revised DiSus-X suspension and semi-slick tyres.
Its electrical system has been upgraded from 800V to 1200V, while the four ultra-high-speed motors collectively produce over 2,207kW.
To give you an idea of the improvements made, the standard U9 produces 960kW and managed a top speed of ‘just’ 375km/h in 2024, also with Basseng behind the wheel. Yaqngwang has not announced acceleration times for the U9X, but for what it’s worth, the regular version sprints from 0-100km/h in 2.36 seconds.
Following the record run in the U9X, driver Basseng said:
“This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance. Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track.”
BYD’s executive vice president Stella Li said the record was an incredibly proud moment for everyone in the research and development division.
“Yangwang is a brand that does not recognise the impossible, and only through this commitment to what’s coming next can you end up with a vehicle like the U9X. I extend my gratitude to the whole team, and my thanks to the driver, Marc Basseng, for his skill and technical input. It’s terrific that the fastest production car in the world is now electric.”
IOL Motoring