ABU DHABI, November 6, 2026: Chinese automaker BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme has become the first production car to surpass 500 kilometres per hour, reaching 503.17 km/h during a high-speed test in Abu Dhabi, in a milestone officially recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
The all-electric hypercar achieved the speed on November 1, with German racing driver Marc Basseng behind the wheel. The FIA recognised the achievement on November 6, while the vehicle also secured two Guinness World Records for single-direction speed by a production car and an electric production car.
The record attempt took place on a closed section of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. A 10-kilometre stretch was closed for testing, including a seven-kilometre straight section.
Initial runs on October 31 reached 490 km/h before engineers adjusted the vehicle’s aerodynamics, suspension and tyre pressures. The subsequent November 1 attempt produced the record speed, exceeding the car’s previous 496.22 km/h result achieved in Germany in September 2025.
The FIA-recognised achievement represents a single-direction maximum speed rather than a two-way average record, which requires runs in opposite directions to account for wind and road conditions.
Electric hypercar delivers more than 3,000 PS
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme is powered by four independent electric motors generating more than 3,000 PS, equivalent to approximately 2,959 horsepower. Its 1,200-volt electrical architecture supports high-output performance, while advanced torque vectoring helps distribute power between individual wheels.
The vehicle also features an active suspension system and specially developed Giti tyres designed to withstand the extreme forces generated at speeds exceeding 500 km/h.
The achievement surpasses the 490.48 km/h single-direction speed recorded by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019, placing the Chinese electric hypercar ahead in this particular performance category.
Beyond straight-line speed, the U9 Xtreme previously completed Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in six minutes and 59.157 seconds, setting a benchmark for production electric sports cars.
BYD plans to produce only 30 units of the U9 Xtreme, positioning it as a limited-production performance vehicle rather than a conventional passenger EV.
The record highlights advances in electric motor technology, high-voltage power systems and vehicle stability at extreme speeds. However, the specialised engineering behind the U9 Xtreme differs significantly from the technology used in mainstream BYD vehicles.
There is currently no confirmed plan to introduce the Yangwang U9 Xtreme in Pakistan.