YANGWANG U9 Xtreme is the world’s fastest production car, with top speed of 308.4 mph
YANGWANG U9 Xtreme is the world’s fastest production car - Dynamic video
20 September 2025 Papenburg, Germany -- YANGWANG, the luxury sub-brand of global new-energy vehicle (NEV) leader BYD, has set a new global production-car top-speed record of 308.4 mph at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany.
The feat was achieved with YANGWANG’s latest U9 Xtreme hypercar on 14 September 2025, eclipsing its previous EV benchmark and the 304.1 mph maximum of the quickest petrol-powered model to become the world’s fastest car overall. This modern milestone in engineering sets a new standard in electric mobility, mixing unrivalled power and speed with zero emissions.
Originally known as the U9 Track/Special Edition, and now officially confirmed as the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme in production guise, or U9X for short, the fastest car on the planet takes the existing technical architecture of the U9 currently on sale in China and harnesses the potential of a number of key evolutions.
These include, but are not limited to: an upgraded powertrain with 1200V ultra-high-voltage electrics (compared with 800V), a lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery with a remarkable discharge rate of 30C, four ultra-high-speed motors that that operate at up to 30,000rpm and produce a total of more than 3000PS, track-level semi-slick tyres, and revised DiSus-X suspension with specific tuning to cope with the increased stresses of circuit driving.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said: “This is 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.”
The driver for the U9X’s record-breaking run was Marc Basseng, a German track specialist with a long history in sports-car racing and endurance motorsport. He 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.”
The U9 Xtreme is now being made available to customers, with a limited series production run of no more than 30 units. Its name is derived from the English word ‘Extreme’, meaning ‘limit’ and ‘ultimate’, with added emphasis on the ‘X’, which represents the unknown. These qualities fit perfectly with YANGWANG’s ethos of taking joy and delight from the act of exploration and the innovations that come through that process.
By setting a new global speed record, YANGWANG redefines the sustainable hypercar. Backed by BYD's innovation and sustainability commitments, YANGWANG employs cutting-edge tech to deliver unmatched performance, safety, and driving experience.
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About BYD
BYD is a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Founded in 1995 as a rechargeable battery maker, BYD now boasts a diverse business scope covering automobiles, rail transit, new energy, and electronics, with over 30 industrial parks in China, the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Hungary, and India. From energy generation and storage to its applications, BYD is dedicated to providing zero-emission energy solutions that reduce global reliance on fossil fuels. Its new energy vehicle footprint now covers 6 continents, over 110 countries and regions, and more than 400 cities. Listed in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, the company jumped into the top 100 companies in the latest Fortune 500 (91st place) and posted revenues of more than 100 billion euros in 2024. BYD continues to invest heavily in future technologies, with more than 10% of its one million employees devoted to reseach and development, producing 45 patents every working day for innovations in pursuit of a greener, more sustainable world.
For more information, please visit www.bydglobal.com.
About BYD Auto
Founded in 2003, BYD Auto is the automotive subsidiary of BYD, a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Aiming to accelerate the green transition of the global transportation sector, BYD Auto focuses on developing pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The company has mastered the core technologies of the entire industrial chain of new energy vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, and electronic controllers. It has witnessed in recent years significant technological advancements, including the Blade Battery, DM-i Super Hybrid Technology, e Platform 3.0, CTB Technology, e⁴ Platform, BYD DiSus Intelligent Body Control System, and DMO super hybrid system. The company is the world's first carmaker to stop the production of fossil-fueled vehicles on the EV shift and has remained top of new energy passenger vehicle sales in China for 10 years in a row. For more information, please visit www.byd.com.
About YANGWANG
Launched in November 2022, YANGWANG stands as BYD’s flagship premium new-energy vehicle (NEV) brand. It represents BYD's pioneering spirit of exploration, ground-breaking automotive technology, and cutting-edge design, crafting premium NEVs that transcend what customers once deemed achievable.
Contact:
Asia-Pacific:
Liya Huang, liya.huang@byd.com
Daniel Yin, yin.dongdong@byd.com tel: +86-755-8988-8888-69666
Europe:
Penny Peng, PressEU@byd.com tel: +31-102070888
North America
Frank Girardot, frank.girardot@byd.com tel: +1 213 245 6503
Latin America:
José Miranda, jose.miranda@byd.com tel: +56 9 96443906
Brazil:
Pablo Toledo, pablo.toledo@byd.com tel: +19 3514 2554
Middle East and Africa:
Nikki Li, li.namin@byd.com tel: +86-18938862670
