BYD’s high-end sub-brand Yangwang has set a new world speed record for an electric vehicle.
The Yangwang U9 Track Edition recorded a speed of 472.41 km/h on August 8 at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany.
The record was set by German professional driver Marc Basseng, who was behind the wheel for the previous global EV speed record in 2024.
“Last year, I thought I’d peaked. I never expected to break my own record so soon — but here we are, at the same track, with new technologies that have made it possible,” he said.
U9 Track Edition features the world’s first mass-produced 1200-volt ultra-high-voltage vehicle platform, paired with a thermal-management system optimised for extreme conditions.
This combination of an existing technical footprint and ground-breaking enhancements elevates the Yangwang U9 Track Edition’s performance to unprecedented levels.
Breaking world records demands both relentless power delivery and exceptional high-speed stability.
The Yangwang U9 Track Edition is built upon the same e4 Platform and DiSus-X core technical architecture as the U9 road car currently on sale in China.
It features the world’s first quad electric motor system, with four 30,000 rpm high-performance motors, producing 555kW per motor and a combined output of more than 2206kW.
Power to weight is an astonishing 895kW per tonne.
Independent torque-vectoring system continuously monitors road feedback, adjusting each wheel’s torque at an ultra-high frequency that exceeds 100 times per second.
Even at high speeds, it maintains absolute control over body posture, ensuring no wheel slip or loss of traction.
The DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System performs rapid, independent vertical adjustments to the suspension at each corner of the vehicle during aggressive acceleration and cornering, or on uneven surfaces.
This not only suppresses pitch and roll — enhancing driver comfort and confidence — but also actively optimises the contact patch between the tyres and the road, maximising grip.
Working in synergy with the e4 Platform, it delivers dual guarantees for vehicle stability and driving safety.
The Track Edition retains the aerodynamic design cues of the road car with an enhanced, optional carbon-fibre front splitter that is already in mass production, fully verifying the scientific design and technical reliability under ultra-high-speed operating conditions.
To enhance tyre performance and durability under extreme driving conditions, Yangwang is collaborating with Giti Tire to develop a track-focused semi-slick tyre.
This high-performance tyre features optimised compound materials and a bespoke tread design, while an innovative knurling treatment at the wheel-rim interface, combined with high-viscosity lubricant, minimises relative slippage between the tyre and the rim during hard acceleration or braking.
This reduces torque loss and tyre wear, while improving predictability and stability during dynamic manoeuvres.
CHECKOUT: BYD’s Aussie assault continues
CHECKOUT: BYD’s Shark bares its teeth
