BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme Hits 503 km/h in Abu Dhabi: Sets Four Guinness World Records

Saudi Arabia: BYD's all-electric Yangwang U9 Xtreme has become the first production car to officially break the 500 km/h barrier. The BYD-owned luxury brand's electric hypercar reached a top speed of 503.17 km/h (312.65 mph) during a high-speed run in Abu Dhabi. The FIA-recognised run makes the all-electric U9 the first production car to exceed 500 km/h, securing four Guinness World Records in the process and eclipsing its own previous benchmark of 496.22 km/h set in Germany last year.

Inside the U9 Xtreme’s Record-Breaking Run in Abu Dhabi

The record was achieved on the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra Region. Professional sports-car racer Marc Basseng, who also set the car's previous record, was behind the wheel. The attempt required a 10 km stretch of the road to be closed, providing a 7 km straight for the high-speed passes. The 503.17 km/h top speed secured four separate Guinness World Records:

• Fastest Production Car
• Fastest Electric Production Car
• Fastest EV Tyre in the World (for Giti tyres)
• Fastest Road Car Tyre in the World (for Giti tyres)

This surpasses the 496.22 km/h speed the U9 Xtreme recorded in September 2025 at the ATP Papenburg test track in Germany. It represents a significant step up in a rapid development programme that saw the regular U9 hit 309 km/h in January 2024, followed by the U9X variant reaching 391.94 km/h in October 2024 and 472.41 km/h in August 2025.

The 3019 PS electric powertrain

At the heart of the record is BYD's all-electric motor and battery technology, delivering a peak output of 3019 PS. This allows the U9 Xtreme to not only accelerate but sustain extreme speeds, a challenge for many electric powertrains due to thermal management and battery discharge rates. The successful run on a public road, with its real-world surface imperfections compared to a dedicated test track, validates the engineering of the chassis and suspension systems alongside the powertrain.

What the 500 km/h barrier means

Breaking the 500 km/h barrier is a landmark figure in automotive performance. For an electric vehicle to be the first production car to do it officially challenges long-held perceptions about the performance ceiling of battery-powered cars. While rivals have focused on acceleration, Yangwang and its parent company BYD have claimed the ultimate top-speed crown, a metric historically dominated by European boutique manufacturers with complex internal combustion engines. The achievement in Abu Dhabi serves as a powerful statement of intent.

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