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The BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached 503.17 kph, or 312.6 mph, on a closed road in Abu Dhabi on November 1. Guinness World Records and the FIA recognized the single-direction run, which BYD says makes the limited-production electric hypercar the fastest production car and the first production car to exceed 500 kph. The result uses a different method from the customary two-way record runs.
BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached 503.17 kph (312.6 mph) on a closed road in Abu Dhabi on November 1, a single-direction run recognized by Guinness World Records and the FIA. The company’s limited-production electric hypercar is now credited with the highest speed achieved by a production car in a single-direction run, and the first production car to pass 500 kph, according to the record bodies cited by InsideEVs.
The run took place on a roughly 10-kilometer stretch of the E11 in the Al Dhafra Region of the United Arab Emirates, which was closed to public traffic. German racing driver Marc Basseng, who also drove the car during its previous record attempt, made four runs over two days. On October 31, the first two runs reached a reported maximum of 490 kph (304.4 mph).
Engineers then adjusted the car’s aerodynamics, suspension settings and tire pressures, according to InsideEVs. On the final run, a Racelogic recorder registered 503.17 kph. Guinness World Records lists the achievement as the highest speed for a production car and an electric production car in a single-direction run; the FIA also confirmed the achievement on its website, the report said.
The U9 Xtreme is the highest-performance version of BYD’s U9 electric hypercar. The source report says it has four electric motors producing 2,977 horsepower and a 1,200-volt lithium iron phosphate battery pack. BYD plans to build 30 units of the Xtreme. The record attempt used semi-slick tires, titanium brake calipers and carbon-ceramic brake rotors, according to the report.
A 500-Kph Mark for Electric Cars
The result puts an electric vehicle at the top of a speed category long associated with high-powered combustion-engine hypercars. Passing 500 kph is also a defined milestone, rather than a small improvement on the model’s earlier result: the U9 Xtreme had reached a reported 496.22 kph (308.3 mph) in September 2025, according to InsideEVs.
For readers, the achievement is a measure of what a highly specialized electric car can do under controlled conditions, not a claim about ordinary road use. The car is planned as a 30-unit model, and the attempt took place on a closed road with a professional driver, engineering adjustments and specialist tires. Its relevance to everyday electric cars is therefore limited, while its importance for performance engineering and the competition between hypercar makers is clear.
The record method may also shape how the result is received. The reported recognition applies to a single-direction run. Many speed-record attempts use runs in both directions to account for wind and elevation, so comparisons with records measured under different protocols require care.
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From 496 to 503 Kph
BYD had already presented the U9 Xtreme as a record-setting car after its September 2025 run at 496.22 kph. The company had set its sights on exceeding 500 kph, according to InsideEVs. The November attempt followed that earlier result and brought the car across the threshold, with Basseng again at the wheel.
The distinction between the record categories matters. The report says Guinness World Records recognized the U9 Xtreme for the highest speed in a single-direction run for both a production car and an electric production car. This wording identifies the method behind the record; it should not be read as a claim that every competing car’s speed was measured under identical conditions.
BYD’s planned production run is small, but the model is described as a production car rather than a one-off prototype. The available report does not detail the full production specification or explain how closely the record-setting car matched customer-delivered vehicles.
“The Yangwang U9 Xtreme holds the records for the highest speed achieved by a production car and an electric production car in a single-direction run.”
— Guinness World Records, as quoted in the InsideEVs report
How the One-Way Run Compares
The record’s single-direction format is the main qualification. InsideEVs reports that speed records are usually attempted with two runs in opposite directions to account for factors such as wind and elevation. The source material does not provide the full measurement protocol or explain why the record attempt used one direction, so the extent to which conditions affected the result cannot be independently assessed from the information provided.
The report says the FIA and Guinness World Records recognized the achievement, but it does not include a detailed description of their review processes or the specific criteria applied. It also does not say whether another automaker has challenged the result. Any challenge or comparison with records obtained under two-way rules remains unconfirmed in the supplied material.
Other details, including the car’s exact configuration during the timed run and whether it matched the specification of planned customer cars, are not given. The reported 30-car production plan does not by itself establish how each vehicle will be configured or when deliveries will begin.
Record Challenges and Production Plans
The next developments to watch are whether rival manufacturers or record authorities publish further comparisons, and whether any competing car attempts to set a faster result under the same or a different measurement protocol. The source report mentions that makers such as Rimac, Bugatti and Koenigsegg could question the one-way format, but it does not report that any company has done so.
BYD’s stated plan is to produce 30 Yangwang U9 Xtreme units. The material provided does not give a delivery schedule, pricing or details about availability outside China. Further specifications or production information from BYD would clarify how the record-setting version relates to cars customers may be able to buy.
Key Questions
How fast did the Yangwang U9 Xtreme go?
It reached 503.17 kph (312.6 mph) in a run on November 1, according to the InsideEVs report.
Where did the speed run take place?
The run took place on a roughly 10-kilometer section of the E11 in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region. The road was closed to public traffic.
Who drove the car?
German racing driver Marc Basseng drove the U9 Xtreme. The report says he also drove the car during its previous record attempt.
Was the record measured in both directions?
No. The reported record was a single-direction run. The source says two-way runs are usual for accounting for wind and elevation, making the method an important point of comparison.
How many Yangwang U9 Xtreme cars will BYD make?
BYD plans to produce 30 units, according to the report. It does not provide a price or delivery timetable.
Source: insideevs.com
