A bold new player has entered the hypercar arena, making an immediate impact with a headline-grabbing achievement. YangWang may not yet have widespread recognition, but its parent company BYD commands global respect as one of the largest automakers and a key driver of China’s electric vehicle revolution. Focused on high-end performance machines, YangWang introduced the U9 hypercar in 2024 and has now set a new benchmark for EV top speed.
Clocking 293.54 mph at Germany’s ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg on August 8, the U9 Track Edition established what the manufacturer calls a world record. This track-focused variant eclipsed the Rimac Nevera R, which reached 268 mph in July, along with the Aspark Owl, which touched 272 mph in November 2024, securing its place as the fastest electric car currently documented.
Marc Basseng, a German racer seasoned in touring car and endurance competitions, guided the U9 at Papenburg, the same circuit where Chevrolet’s Corvette ZR1 once hit 233 mph. Power originates from four motors producing 744 horsepower each, combining for an astonishing 2,959 hp, a massive increase over the standard U9’s 1,287 hp. Such output propelled the Track Edition to extreme velocities along the straightaway.
Sophisticated torque-vectoring coordinates all four motors, constantly adjusting power at each wheel over 100 times per second. Spinning up to 30,000 rpm, the drivetrain is central to achieving these speeds. BYD has not revealed details about motor longevity, but the approach resembles Tesla’s Model S Plaid, which used carbon-fiber-sleeved rotors to endure 20,000 rpm. A more aggressive carbon-fiber front splitter and removal of the large rear wing helped trim aerodynamic drag for the Track Edition.
BYD’s DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System manages suspension, continuously fine-tuning each wheel during acceleration and cornering to minimize pitch and roll while maximizing tire grip. This technology even allows dramatic maneuvers such as brief airborne moments. For the record attempt, the U9 ran on semi-slick track tires developed with Indonesia’s Giti Tire, providing exceptional traction under extreme stress.
Engineers optimized the tire compound and tread design while adding specialized knurling at the wheel-rim interface to reduce slippage during intense launches and heavy braking, improving stability. Although BYD’s record attempt appears to have been made in one direction, traditional top-speed records often average two runs in opposite directions, like Koenigsegg’s 277.9 mph Agera RS in 2017. Regardless, the YangWang U9’s 293.54 mph highlights BYD’s ambition to compete with Europe and the U.S. in the high-end hypercar market.
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